In difficult times, we need your help to be the voice for those people who have nobody to speak for them. We are currently in need of the following stories:
- Durable Medical Equipment (DME) Access Problems
- Home Health Care Access Problems
- “Improvement Standard” Denials
- “Observation Status” Problems
- Medicare Advantage Issues
- Stories About the Value of Medicare, Medicaid and the ACA
Durable Medical Equipment (DME) Access Problems
With the support of the Jeffrey P. Ossen Family Foundation, the Center is collecting stories about access to durable medical equipment to help individuals better obtain the medical equipment and supplies they need.
Home Health Care Access Problems
As part of the Center’s Home Health Access Initiative, we are collecting stories from beneficiaries and caregivers who have had difficulty obtaining necessary home health care as ordered by their doctor. Please share your story below!
“Improvement Standard” Denials
By law, Medicare decision-makers are not allowed to deny coverage due to a lack of improvement, or because a condition has “plateaued.” However, providers and those who make Medicare payment decisions continue to use this standard.
Do you have an Improvement Standard Story?
Under the Jimmo Settlement Agreement, the Center for Medicare Advocacy and Vermont Legal Aid will be monitoring compliance with the terms of the settlement. We want to hear from you. Please keep us informed of your experiences, both positive and negative.
SHARE YOUR IMPROVEMENT STANDARD STORY
“Observation Status” Problems
People who receive care in hospitals, even overnight and for several days, may learn they have not actually been admitted as inpatients. Instead, the hospital has classified them as Observation Status, which is an “outpatient” category. This can lead to unexpected costs for beneficiaries.
If you’ve been impacted by the use of “outpatient” Observation Status directly, or know someone who has, please take a few moments to answer tell us about yourself and share your story.
We need to show CMS that this problem affects thousands of people across the country, so in partnership with the John A. Hartford Foundation, we are collecting stories from the people who have been directly impacted. We hope to get at least a few stories from every state.
SHARE YOUR OBSERVATION STATUS STORY
Medicare Advantage Issues
We have heard from a number of beneficiaries, advocates, and providers about their MA experiences. Last week we launched a series to highlight one of those first-hand reports, and to counter-balance MA industry advertising and Medicare program’s steering efforts. In today’s Alert, and upcoming CMA Alerts, we will write about other beneficiary, advocate, and provider experiences. These are all cautionary tales about Medicare Advantage that are not receiving adequate attention elsewhere.
We invite you to join this discussion by sending us your MA plan experiences to MedicareAdvantage@MedicareAdvocacy.org.
Stories About the Value of Medicare, Medicaid and the ACA
What have these programs meant to you? If you could, what would you like to tell policy-makers about your experiences with Medicare, Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act? How have they helped you? How would you be harmed if they were taken away?
SHARE YOUR STORY ABOUT THE VALUE OF OUR NATIONAL HEALTH PROGRAMS