Sleep Apnea is a disorder that commonly affects more than 12 million people in the United States. While the exact cause of remains unclear, what’s known is that the site of obstruction in most patients is the soft palate, including the area at the base of the tongue. During the day, muscles in the region keep the passage open and clear; but since there’s no bone or cartilage in this area to hold the airway open, when a person with Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) falls asleep, the muscles relax and the airway collapses.
Competitive bidding allows Medicare to award contracts for medical equipment, such as wheelchairs, hospital beds, power wheelchairs and oxygen to the provider with the lowest bids. This policy has the potential to create barriers to access, diminish quality, restrict choices and drive small providers out of business. Restricted provider access and choice will be the first thing the Medicare beneficiary will lose in this process. It is estimated that once the program takes full affect across the country, 70% of the small providers will no longer be in business. The ability to choose a provider creates competition, in turn competition creates quality. The policies Medicare has set regarding the level of service that would need to be maintained are vague and nearly impossible to monitor. |