Free Diabetic Supplies

For weeks we have been hearing about the vote that Congress was to have that would stop several important measures that would have a negative effect on physicians who treat Medicare recipients and a negative effect on many individuals – especially those with diabetes.

Congress voted on the measures and the issues at stake lost by 1 vote.  1 vote!  That is totally unbelievable.  Because of the one vote, doctors who take Medicare will be losing 10% of their payments.  Sadly, there aren’t enough doctors who take Medicare as payment in full as it is, but with the pay cut, there will be fewer doctors who can afford to accept Medicare patients.  As a result, both doctors and patients will lose out.  Medicare should be doing all they can to keep these doctors connected to their Medicare patients.  Instead, Congress has basically fined them!

The second area that is a huge issue is the area of diabetes supplies.  The way it stands now, since the vote, is that millions of Medicare beneficiaries will have less choices and lower quality diabetic supplies, products and services.  Testing equipment will be a hard-hit item.  This could have a very negative effect on individuals who are trying to manage their diabetes. 

Supposedly, Congress will go back to work this week and fix this situation by creating another bill to replace the misguided bill that has created the current problems.  Hopefully, this will happen because if thing are left as is, many medical equipment companies will go out of business, leaving millions of diabetics with an interruption in supplies and products which are essential for them on a daily basis.

It is critical that Congress fix this complex and difficult problem as soon as possible so that people that depend upon specific products and services from certain companies will be able to expect continuous care.