Friday, September 25, 2009

What “Up” can teach Washington about health care reform




There is scene in the latest Pixar film, “Up,” where two men arrive at Carl Fredrickson’s door intent on moving him from his home to Shady Oaks nursing home. Carl promises he will be along momentarily if the men will wait outside in their van. But instead of surrendering his home, he releases thousands of helium filled balloons tethered to his house, lifting it into the air and thereby escaping society’s push to institutionalize this proud man. It’s a triumphant scene, and one our legislators should see as they debate health care reform.


Our hospitals and nursing homes are filled with people of every shape, size, creed and color. But these people all share a common dream – they all dream of going home. No one wants to be in a hospital, nursing home or any institutional setting; they want to be in their own homes. But rather than recognize this universal desire, our federal health policies discourage home care. While Medicare will pay for hospitalization and physician visits for virtually any reason and Medicaid pays budget-busting sums for nursing homes, home care comprises less than 2 percent of all health care expenditures.
“Up’s” Carl Fredrickson walks with the aid of a cane, and gets up and down his stairs with the benefit of a stair lift. A stair lift is both an assistive device and safety aid. It can be purchased and installed in most homes for less than $2,500. Medicare won’t pay for the cost of a stair lift in the home of a frail senior.
Nor will it pay for any portion of a bath lift, a tub bench, a grab bar or any of a bevy of other assistive devices or companion care that help seniors stay in their home, safely. This is short-sighted health policy. One in three senior will suffer a serious fall, and those falls often lead to a cascading descent in quality of life, not to mention extraordinary health care costs. Medicare will spend tens of thousands to treat a hip fracture caused by a fall in the bathtub, but won’t spend a few hundred dollars on bath safety devices. It willingly spends $2,000 a day on hospitalization for seniors with serious breathing problems, but balks at the $7.50 a day for oxygen equipment and supporting service when the senior stays in the home.
When it comes to health care, Congress and federal bureaucrats often think only in a transactional perspective, not strategically. In refusing coverage for an item like Carl Fredrickson’s stair lift, they see their decision as “saving” $2,500 in health care costs. What they fail to see is that a stair lift costs less than 15 days in a nursing home, or that Medicare could put bath lifts in homes of hundreds of seniors for the price of a slip-and-fall by one frail senior getting out of a bathtub, or that companion care in the home costs less and results in better outcomes than institutionalization in a nursing home. Our “sickcare” system is transactional; homecare is strategic.
Carl, the hero of “Up,” not only avoided the nursing home, he went on to carry out a great adventure while still living in his home. Our seniors deserve the respect and dignity that comes with staying in their home as long as they can. I can only hope our elected officials in Washington see “Up.” It is a delightful movie, and if they pay attention they just might learn a thing or two that helps improve our health care system.
Mike Mallaro is CFO and CIO of VGM Group, Inc., and a regular speaker and writer on national home health care issues.
Click here to download a copy of this piece.

CPAP Educational Video: Dreaming of a good nights sleep



HMEProvider presents an educational video about treating Sleep Apnea with CPAP & BiPAP machines. Up to twenty million Americans suffer from sleep apnea to some degree. This video offers treatments and solutions for sleep apnea with the use of CPAP machines and other devices.


Thursday, September 17, 2009

Independent at Home, because there is no place like home.

Welcome to HMEProvider.com. How can we help you today? What type of home medical equipment are you looking for? What products will help you or your loved one remain independent, safe and comfortable in the home?
Where do you begin?

1. Please look through the list of equipment to find the products you may need. To assist you, we have broken down the products by section.

2. Complete and submit our basic electronic form. Your information will then be forwarded to a qualified and helpful medical equipment provider in your area.

3. The HMEprovider.com partner will then contact you directly by phone or email as soon as possible to assess your needs.

4. You and the provider will discuss your needs or set up a more comprehensive appointment to evaluate you or your loved one's needs. When you have found the item that you need, the local provider will place your order.

5. You get to enjoy your renewed freedom and safety!

HMEProvider.com will do everything possible to connect you to a local partner who can fill your needs; however there may be times when a provider cannot be located. In these situations, you will be contacted by email.

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Connecting the Aging in Place to LOCAL Equipment Providers

Not Just Answers… Solutions

Are you or your loved one needing medical equipment but don’t know where to find it? Are you wondering how something like a stair lift really works and how it might aid in your independence and comfort at home? You have just taken the first step in getting your questions answered. We are HMEprovider.com and we’re here to help you.

HMEprovider, making home work

We hope you’ll find our site to be a thorough resource for learning more about various pieces of medical equipment and home modification solutions that will allow you or your loved one to remain independent in their home. HMEprovider.com is not just a “click and buy” site. Through your inquiry submission, you will be connected to a local medical equipment provider in your area for direct and local follow up in best meeting your needs.
HMEprovider.com has a network of over 3,000 independent, community based providers nationwide specializing in a variety of medical equipment, respiratory equipment, custom rehab equipment and home modification solutions. Most of our providers are Medicare licensed, have the ability to bill your private insurance and have obtained industry accreditations.



Visit us at http://www.hmeprovider.com/