“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about the excessive audit system that exists for our medical equipment providers that provide essential medical equipment for our seniors across this country. It is negatively affecting them and their businesses. These businesses provide essential services and education to our seniors and Medicare patients”, said Rep. Ellmers.
On July 10, 2014 Rep. Renee Ellmers of North Carolina asked for and was granted permission to address the United States House of Representatives for one minute regarding what she views as excessive auditing of medical equipment providers under Medicare:
“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about the excessive audit system that exists for our medical equipment providers that provide essential medical equipment for our seniors across this country. It is negatively affecting them and their businesses. These businesses provide essential services and education to our seniors and Medicare patients.
It is important to point out that this practice was put in place because of the fraud and abuse that existed within the system; but rather than targeting fraudulent practices, they are targeting people playing by the rules and are being punished because of the bad actions of a few of the bad actors.
One example is a business in my community that provides essential health care to Medicare and senior patients, providing oxygen and hospital beds, which are essential, basic equipment. They have been audited 50 percent of the time.
This is a practice that has to end; and I am introducing legislation tomorrow that will address this issue, reform the system, and get to the point of really addressing the fraudulent practitioners that need the reform”, said Ellmers.
Source: Congressional Record http://thomas.loc.gov/
Not surprisingly, both the American Association for Homecare and the North Carolina Association for Medical Equipment Services, both huge PACs’ (Political Action Committees) applauded the welcome news about Ellmer’s effort. Note: We still investigating to see exactly how much money these organizations through their PACs have donated to her campaign and re-election.
What the congresswoman doesn’t seem to understand is the missions of the Recovery Audit Programs are to identify and correct Medicare and Medicaid improper payments through the efficient detection and collection of overpayments made on claims of health care services provided to Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, and the identification of underpayments to providers so that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) can implement actions that will prevent future improper payments…Those same audits have saved taxpayers millions of dollars.
See report: Adopting Medicare DME payments could save states millions http://www.healthcarepayernews.com/content/adopting-medicare-dme-payments-could-save-states-millions#.U7_5cmLxrPA
On this issue I will have to respectfully disagree with the congresswoman. The congresswoman has had to deal with a lot of unusual issues while serving in Congress…
For example Rep. Ellmers is the congresswoman who was “crushed on” by an Army Colonel to the point he masturbated three times in two hours after meeting her.
See unrelated report: Army colonel “masturbated” three times in 2 hours after meeting with Congresswoman Ellmers https://groundreport.com/army-colonel-masturbated-three-times-in-2-hours-after-meeting-with-congresswoman-ellmers/