84% of Physicians Polled will have to Stop Seeing Medicare Patients if Reimbursement Cuts Pass

/PRNewswire/ -- Sermo (http://www.sermo.com/), the world's largest online community for physicians, today announced physician reaction to the Medicare cuts effective March 1st, 2010. Nearly 1,500 physicians participated in an online poll and discussion measuring how they will respond to the reimbursements cuts. Of the respondents, 84% said they will have to stop seeing new Medicare patients, stop seeing all Medicare patients or consider closing their practices altogether.

This cut in reimbursements will dramatically impact both the physicians providing care and the patients. As one Oncologist noted, "Ultimately, it's the patients who will suffer."

Many practices, private and group, will be opting out of Medicare as of March 1st. One Family Practice Physician said, "My primary care group (the largest in our county) will stop accepting new Medicare patients Monday, and if the cuts stick, terminate care for 25-50% of the existing patients and require all new patients with commercial plans to sign up for our retainer offering. We have a leaflet ready explaining the reasons why and how to contact our Congressman and Senators."

Many physicians explained they simply cannot make up for the declining payments by increasing volume of patients seen. For some practices, the bulk of the physician's patients are on Medicare/Medicaid. One Doctor of Osteopathy shares, "Medicare makes up about 50% of my practice. I cannot afford to stop seeing them all together right now. Either way I will have to significantly change my practice to reduce overhead to survive the cut."

Physicians are particularly disillusioned by what they believe is Congress' attempt to control the practice of medicine. One surgeon writes, "The government cannot be allowed to legislate that we take on unprofitable endeavors. It is time for all physicians to take a stand for a fare wage." A Dermatologist added, "Medicare needs to get out of the price-fixing business."

To view the full discussion and polling results, visit the Sermo Blog at http://sermo.com/blog. The Sermo Blog (www.sermo.com/blog) highlights the most vibrant discussions happening. Discussions on Sermo are physician-initiated and cover topics ranging from medical ethics & practice management to challenging clinical cases. All physicians on Sermo are verified as licensed in the US.

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AHIP Statement on Affordable Health Care for America Act

/PRNewswire/ -- Karen Ignagni, President and CEO of America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), released the following statement today in response to the Affordable Health Care for America Act:

"The promise of health care reform has been that if you like your current coverage, you can keep it. We are concerned that this proposal will break this promise by increasing health care costs for families and employers across the country and significantly disrupting the quality coverage on which millions of Americans rely today.

"The lack of system-wide cost containment is a missed opportunity. Without a greater focus on health care costs, families and employers will not be able to afford coverage and health care costs will rise at a rate much faster than the overall economy is able to sustain.

"We share the concerns that doctors, hospitals, employers, and patients have all raised about the significant disruption a new government-run plan would have on the current health care system. A new government-run plan would bankrupt hospitals, dismantle employer coverage, exacerbate cost-shifting from Medicare and Medicaid, and ultimately increase the federal deficit.

"Estimates show that a government-run plan would cause millions of people to lose their current coverage. Moreover, massive Medicare Advantage cuts would cause millions of seniors to lose their Medicare Advantage coverage altogether, while millions more would face benefit cuts and higher out-of-pocket costs.

"Health plans strongly support comprehensive, bipartisan health care reform and have proposed sweeping insurance market reforms and new consumer protections to ensure that every American has guaranteed access to affordable health care coverage. Experience in the states has shown that insurance market reforms must be paired with an effective personal coverage requirement for these reforms to work. While this legislation recognizes the key linkage of market reforms and a personal coverage requirement, more needs to be done to ensure coverage is affordable and our health care system is sustainable.

"As the process progresses, health plans will continue to work to advance bipartisan legislation this year that will cover all Americans, make coverage more affordable, and improve quality."

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Cancer Community Alarmed at CMS Policy Lumping Life-Saving Cancer Therapy With Diagnostic Testing For Major Funding Cuts

/PRNewswire/ -- The following is being released by US Oncology:

Concerned members of the cancer community, including physicians, patient organizations and other care advocates, spoke out today in opposition to a proposed federal policy under consideration by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) that would lump life-saving radiation therapy in with diagnostic testing services in receiving major Medicare funding cuts. In support of their cause, a bipartisan letter led by Reps. Parker Griffith (D-AL), Sue Myrick (R-NC), Lois Capps (D-CA) and Mike Rogers (R-MI), was sent to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius urging a reversal of this proposal.

"I am very alarmed at the prospect of these dangerous funding cuts being made to radiation therapy, which is a safe and effective treatment proven as a trusted tool in the fight against cancer," said Bernard W. Taylor, M.D., a radiation oncologist at Texas Oncology-Longview Cancer Center in Longview, Texas. "For vulnerable cancer patients like mine, this proposed policy would limit their access to vital radiation treatment through longer wait times and less time spent with their doctors. We must educate policymakers on the radical difference between life-saving, therapeutic radiation therapy and diagnostic testing, and the critical need to spare radiation therapy from these cuts."

At issue is a 19 percent funding cut in Medicare reimbursement to the radiation oncology specialty contained within the CY 2010 Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule, equating to cuts of up to 44 percent for certain codes critical to the provision of radiation therapy treatments. Of particular concern in the rule is a proposed policy that raises the utilization rate for medical equipment costing over one million dollars from 50 to 90 percent. The lawmakers and other experts in the industry warn that cuts of this size will result in the closing of many freestanding and community-based cancer centers, particularly in rural areas, harming patient access to care.

"As a radiation oncologist who practiced in the community setting, I am aware of how these severe cuts would limit access to life-saving radiation therapy for cancer patients," said Rep. Griffith. "I am proud to be working on healthcare reform to expand access to high quality, effective care for cancer patients and all Americans, and I look forward to working with both parties as well as the administration to find a solution that averts these cuts and protects patient access to care."

The Congressional letter submitted to Secretary Sebelius, signed by more than 60 Members of Congress, asked CMS to refrain from finalizing the proposed reductions in Medicare payment for radiation oncology services, and to refrain from applying a higher assumed equipment utilization rate to radiation oncology equipment. The letter states:

"We are writing you today to emphasize a clear distinction: Radiation therapy is not diagnostic imaging. . . The therapeutic use of radiation to treat cancer should not be the target of those concerned with volume growth in the area of diagnostic imaging."

The proposal to reduce rates for diagnostic imaging was made by the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) in their March 2009 report. MedPAC has subsequently stated that it never intended to include radiation therapy in any Medicare reimbursement cuts and yet CMS proposed to extend the cuts to radiation oncology anyway.

According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), radiation therapy has been found to be under-utilized, with a variety of barriers, including travel time to care, cited as standing between patients and treatment. Following a review of relevant literature, the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality (AHRQ) found evidence of disparities in radiation therapy use among older patients; women; and African Americans, with the exception of care provided in the Veterans' Administration system. In another study of more than 11,000 women in Florida who had undergone breast conserving surgery, the odds of receiving post-surgical radiation therapy decreased by 3 percent for every 5-mile increase in the distance to the nearest radiation therapy facility.

"We support using data to ensure that payment rates for medical procedure are appropriate," said Leonard Kalman, M.D., Chairman of US Oncology's Public Policy Steering Committee. "However, making cuts of this size to radiation therapy - a treatment modality that more than 1 million cancer patients rely upon each year for both curative intent and palliative treatment - without an expressed rationale backed by supporting data is unsound and frankly quite frightening. On behalf of our country's cancer patients, many of whom will rely on radiation therapy at some point in their illness, we must ensure that these cuts are not applied."

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New National Poll Finds Americans Strongly Opposed to Cutting Medicare Payments for Nursing Home Care as a Means of Financing Health Care Reform

/PRNewswire/ -- As federal lawmakers continue to sound out constituents over the August recess on health care reform, and how best to finance a broad-based overhaul, a new Mellman Group (D) national survey (1000 Registered Voters, 8/21-24, +/- 3%) finds Americans, by significant margins, strongly oppose cutting Medicare-funded nursing home care over other funding options. Underscoring the unpopularity of cutting Medicare-financed nursing home care - now proposed by Congress - the data finds a full 66% of voters less likely to support their local member of Congress for reelection if they voted to cut seniors' Medicare-funded care to finance health care reform, believing that cutting such payments would reduce quality of care.

Says the new Mellman Group poll analysis:

"Voters overwhelmingly oppose cutting Medicare payments to nursing homes as a means of financing healthcare reform, expressing their distaste for this approach in several ways during our brief survey.

First, it is the least popular of the funding options being considered.

Second, cutting Medicare payments to nursing homes is far and away the least acceptable method of financing reform.

Finally, a large majority of voters would feel less favorable toward a Member of Congress who supported such an approach. Voters say they will take out their anger on Members who vote for such nursing home cuts at the ballot box. The reason is straightforward--most Americans believe that cutting such payments will reduce the quality of care seniors receive in nursing homes. While healthcare reform is important to many Americans, Medicare funds for nursing homes are considered off limits as a way to finance reform."

When asked "If Congress cut $32 billion in Medicare payments to nursing homes to care for seniors, do you think the quality of care seniors receive in nursing homes would get better, stay about the same or get worse?" the analysis indicates that, "Seniors are equally concerned, as 78% of those over 65 believe nursing home care will get worse because of such cuts and a majority believe care will get much worse (58%)."

The following are the poll questions and results:

1. Congress is now considering ways to pay for healthcare reform. Which one of the following do you think is the most acceptable way to pay for healthcare reform?

Cutting Medicare payments to nursing homes to care for seniors 3%
Raising taxes on people who make over $250,000 per year 45%

Requiring people to pay taxes on generous healthcare benefits they receive from their employers 6%

Taxing health insurance companies 14%
None 26%
Don't know 6%


2. And which one of the following do you think is the least acceptable way to pay for healthcare reform?

Cutting Medicare payments to nursing homes to care for seniors 49%
Raising taxes on people who make over $250,000 per year 8%

Requiring people to pay taxes on generous healthcare benefits they receive from their employers 14%

Taxing health insurance companies 9%
None 14%
Don't know 6%


3. If Congress cut $32 billion in Medicare payments to nursing homes to care for seniors, do you think the quality of care seniors receive in nursing homes would get better, stay about the same or get worse? [IF BETTER/WORSE ASK]. And is that much [BETTER/WORSE] or only somewhat [BETTER/WORSE]?

Much better 4% 7%
Somewhat better 3%
Stay about the same 11%
Somewhat worse 19%
Much worse 59% 78%
Don't know 4%


4. If your Member of Congress voted to fund healthcare reform in part by cutting $32 billion in Medicare payments to nursing homes to care for seniors would you be __more likely to vote to reelect them, __less likely to vote to reelect them or would it not make much difference to your vote? [IF MORE/ LESS LIKELY ASK:] Is that much [MORE/LESS] or somewhat [MORE/LESS] likely?

Much more likely 5% 7%
Somewhat more likely 2%
No difference 20%
Somewhat less likely 17%
Much less likely 49% 66%
Don't know 6%


"From the results of this objective, timely and highly significant national survey, it is abundantly clear the public, to its credit, harbors strong antipathy to slashing Medicare beneficiaries' nursing home benefits to finance any broader reform package," stated Bruce Yarwood, President and CEO of AHCA. "We strongly support the laudable objective of the Obama Administration and Congress to expand Americans' access to care, and help bring down health care costs. However, we will continue to warn both on Capitol Hill and at the local level how and why the $32 billion Medicare cuts now under consideration will not only harm seniors' ongoing access to quality nursing home care, but also jeopardize the jobs of the key frontline caregivers who make a significant difference in patients' care outcomes."

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Congress Must Recognize Homecare as Cost-Effective Part of Health Care Reform

/PRNewswire/ -- In their effort to find savings in the healthcare system, the Obama administration and Members of Congress have been eyeing Medicare's home medical equipment (HME) sector for cuts. This sector provides medical oxygen, respiratory therapy, hospital beds, wheelchairs, walkers and other equipment and services that allow people to get the care they need at home instead of in a hospital or nursing home.

Already in 2009, Medicare payments for the most commonly prescribed home medical equipment categories have been cut by 9.5 percent. Medical oxygen reimbursement has been cut by 27 percent so far this year. Another measure aimed at cutting HME costs further is so-called "competitive" bidding.

"The American Association for Homecare urges Congress to recognize that home care is a cost-effective alternative to more expensive forms of care, and should therefore be a critical component -- not a casualty -- of American health care reform. Current and proposed cuts to Medicare's home medical equipment sector are not an effective way to reduce overall Medicare spending. These cuts are likely to increase Medicare costs over time by forcing more seniors into nursing homes and hospitals, blocking preventative care, and causing more frequent visits to emergency rooms.

"Quality home medical equipment and services facilitate hospital discharges, reduce hospital readmissions and emergency room visits, and help to keep seniors and people with disabilities out of more expensive institutional settings. As Congress debates health care reforms, it is important that it keeps these facts in mind and recognizes home care as a partner in improving the quality of American health care and reducing overall health care costs.

"Most home medical equipment costs just dollars a day. The cost of providing the equipment and service for home oxygen, for example, is less than $7 per day under Medicare. Compare that to the average daily cost of about $200 for a nursing facility and more than $5,000 per day for a hospital stay under Medicare.

"According to a recent study in the New England Journal of Medicine, up to one-fifth of all Medicare patients are readmitted to hospitals within one month of being discharged. These unplanned visits cost Medicare an estimated $17 billion in 2004. One reason for the high readmission rates is the lack of continued interaction and guidance once patients are dismissed. Home medical equipment providers help to fill this gap by smoothing the transition from hospital to home with the equipment and services patients need.

"This year, Medicare payments for the most commonly prescribed home medical equipment categories have been cut by 9.5 percent, including complex rehabilitative power wheelchairs. Medical oxygen reimbursement has also been cut by 27 percent so far this year. Home oxygen is a critical, life-sustaining medical treatment prescribed to nearly 1.5 million Medicare patients each year who suffer from respiratory illnesses such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

"Another measure aimed at cutting HME costs further has been labeled 'competitive' acquisition. A regulation enacted in the final hours of the Bush administration would selectively contract with a small number of home care providers based on a race to bid the lowest payment. Even among those who agree to new bid-determined payment rates, Medicare only allows a select few to provide the items, which will have the long-term result of reducing the number of companies competing to offer home care products.

"These cuts in reimbursement are having a negative impact on the quality of equipment and the level of services that providers are able to furnish to consumers who have severe disabilities and who are in greatest need of mobility products and services.

"Home medical equipment and service is already the most cost-effective slowest-growing portion of Medicare spending, increasing only 0.75 percent per year, according to the latest National Health Expenditures data from Medicare. That compares to more than 6 percent annual growth for Medicare spending overall. Moreover, home medical equipment represents only 1.6 percent of the Medicare budget.

"As Congress deliberates cuts to Medicare, they would do well to recognize that cuts to home medical equipment will increase long-term Medicare costs. The home medical equipment sector should be seen as a key element in reducing overall Medicare costs."

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Hospice Community Urges President Obama to Stop Funding Cuts

/PRNewswire/ -- Today, 3,524 hospice providers from across the country sent a letter to President Barack Obama urging him to stop cuts to the Medicare hospice benefit beginning on October 1, 2009.

The cuts threaten to jeopardize availability of the compassionate and high-quality care that 1.5 million patients and their family caregivers receive from hospice providers each year.

In addition to the letter, more than 500 providers of the hospice community submitted comments to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on how the cuts will cause them to decrease services, reduce staffing, and in some cases, close their programs.

This follows two Congressional letters sent to President Obama by 45 U.S. Senators and 171 U.S. Representatives, demonstrating that he has strong, bipartisan support to stop the cuts in hospice funding.

The cuts come from a 2008 federal rule that eliminates a component of the Medicare hospice benefit known as the budget neutrality adjustment factor (BNAF). Members of the hospice community have been calling and emailing the Administration requesting that implementation of this rule be stopped.

"The sheer number of hospice programs represented by this letter and those recently sent by Members of Congress should send a strong message to the White House about the urgency in stopping these cuts," said J. Donald Schumacher, NHPCO president/CEO.

Earlier this year, President Obama and Congress approved a moratorium on the hospice funding cuts that expires on September 30, 2009. Without further action, hospice reimbursements will drop by 3.1 percent, leaving hospice programs, particularly smaller and rural ones, facing cutbacks in services and possible closure.

Hospice is a proven Medicare cost saver. In 2007, an independent, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation-funded study by Duke University found that hospice reduced Medicare costs by $2,300 per patient, saving more than $2 billion per year.

Hospice is considered to be the model of high-quality care at the end of life. Research from NHPCO shows that 98 percent of families served by hospice are willing to recommend its care and services to others.

For more information about NHPCO's efforts to protect hospice funding, please visit NHPCO's Advocacy Web page at: www.nhpco.org/advocacy (the letter sent to President Obama is available online).

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American Biotech Labs(R) Obtains FDA Approval for New Wound Care Gel Product

/PRNewswire / -- American Biotech Labs, LLC (ABL), developer of a new class of products based on the company's patented nano-catalytic SilverSol Technology(R), today announced that the company has been granted formal approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to market its ASAP Wound Dressing Gel throughout the United States. Clifton Mining Company is a major shareholder in American Biotech Labs.

The FDA 510(k) medical device approval letter confirms that ABL may market ASAP Wound Dressing Gel "for the topical management of minor cuts, lacerations, abrasions, 1st and 2nd degree burns, and skin irritations." The product utilizes ABL's innovative SilverSol Technology, which has garnered multiple patents in the U.S. and several countries throughout the world, including a broad-use patent that provides the company with exclusive rights to use its silver-based products to combat many of the world's most destructive pathogens, including malaria, tuberculosis, MRSA and HIV.

"We are delighted with the FDA's decision to grant approval for ABL to broadly market our ASAP Wound Dressing Gel," said Dr. William Moeller, a managing director of American Biotech Labs. "We feel this is a singularly effective wound care product, and it is a tremendous validation for us that ABL products have now received approval from the FDA as well as from the EPA."

ABL has performed extensive anti-microbial studies against bacteria, yeast, fungus and other pathogens. Information about these studies is available at research section of the ABL Website, www.americanbiotechlabs.com/researchprotected/researchmenu.html.

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