Hundreds of Senior Citizens and Patients Protest Medicare Changes |
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Written by U.S. Insurance News
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Monday, 10 November 2003 |
A coalition of senior citizens, patients, doctors, healthcare workers and rehabilitation advocates from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware held a "Rally for Independence" on Independence Mall in Philadelphia on November 6th.
A coalition of senior citizens, patients, doctors, healthcare workers and rehabilitation advocates from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware held a "Rally for Independence" on Independence Mall in Philadelphia on November 6th.
The group called for immediate action to stop proposed Medicare changes that could drastically cut access to rehabilitation services for thousands of patients in their areas and across the country. More than half of the nation's rehabilitation facilities could close with this Medicare rule change, leading to a substantial loss of jobs, when the proposed guidelines go into effect on January 1st.
“This is about independence for seniors and patients,” said Andrew Wigglesworth, President of the Delaware Valley Healthcare Council. “By severely limiting patients' access to rehabilitation care, Medicare will cut off the ability of many Pennsylvanians to reach their fullest potential.” Unless Congress and the Bush Administration act, thousands of citizens will lose freedom in their daily lives.
The federal agency that oversees Medicare, (the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, or CMS) issued the proposed rule in September. The rule would both reduce the number of medical diagnoses eligible for Medicare reimbursement, and at the same time impose narrow, unrealistic restrictions on the hospitals and hospital units across the state that provide inpatient rehabilitation care. Under the proposal, 65 percent of all patients admitted to a rehabilitation hospital would be required to fall into one of 12 specific conditions.
“It is astounding that Medicare is proposing a rule that is so drastic and peculiar,” said Gene Bianco, President and CEO of the Pennsylvania Association of Rehabilitation Facilities (PARF). “The rule was developed without scientific evidence, lacks Congressional and professional support, and actually contradicts Medicare's own law and regulations. The rule is out of step with the advances made in rehabilitation medicine and sets us back several decades. Congress and President Bush need to intervene to stop this rule before it is too late.”
“I can't imagine taking away a person's right to inpatient rehabilitation,” said Jerry Segal, a rehab advocate and attorney who attended the rally in Philadelphia. “As an individual who has had successful inpatient rehab, I think it's important for doctors and clinicians to make the decision about the best treatment for their patients and not the federal government.”
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