If you are a member of an industry organization, then you receive a lot of anti-competitive bidding information. If you're a member of more than one, then you are probably bombarded with it. A lot of data can be a good thing, as long as you process it efficiently and actually do something with it.
Your industry organizations are, in general terms, trying to "fight" competitive bidding. This is a good thing. A good organization will keep you informed about regulations and other payor news, provide member assistance when needed, give education opportunities, and let you know about important legislative actions.
There are some organizations that boast about being more "legislatively active" than others, but at the end of the day, legislators want to hear from their constituents (you know, the people who have the power to vote them into -- or out of -- office), not some guy in another area.
True, that TAHCS group alleges that they were "instrumental" in persuading Meek to introduce 3790. But let's get real here. The TAHCS parent organization, AMEPA, is based in Miami, as is the less-vocal sister group FAHCS. Does Meek really care about a Texas-based organization? Highly unlikely, because that organization's members can't vote for him. They can contribute to his campaign funds, but they can't go to the polls and get him in the office he desires (he's currently running to be a Senator from Florida). It's far more likely that AMEPA is allowing TAHCS more credit than it truly deserves to allow it to establish credibility (a credibility that it probably hasn't earned). That's my take, based on my own observations, because I understand the system.
I don't know about you, but I like some truth in my advertising. And I feel little else but contempt for those who boast about "accomplishments" that aren't truly theirs. But that's me, and I admit that I have high standards. It isn't in me to settle for less than I deserve, and if I'm paying dues dollars to an organization, I require good business practices, professionalism, and ethics.
The organization to which you belong is there to inform and coordinate efforts with the tax-paying, voting members, not do your lobbying for you. If you aren't involved, then you're not being heard. That's the bottom line. You do have influence. If you're not using it, whose fault is that?
The Good
There are some really good organizations out there. The work-horses of the industry are the associations like MAMES, MESA, NCAMES, NYMEP, and VADMEC. When AAHomecare comes up with a campaign, they turn to the state associations to appeal to their members to implement it. Yes, AAHomecare turns to its own membership as well, but without the cooperation and participation of the state (and regional) associations, AAHomecare has a very limited reach.
Competitive bidding is a bad thing for small providers. But unless or until the industry rids itself of it, it's the reality. You work with what is, not what you'd like.
I've looked around at upcoming industry events, and I've seen some interesting things. Some of those things I'll have to address in "The Bad" portion of this blog, but there is one that I can share in this section, "The Good."
At this time, one of the most important things an organization can do (other than what they normally do) is facilitate opportunities for people in round-one areas. I've been looking around at the events of such organizations, and I've so far found one event that's trying to put bid winners and potential subcontractors together in the same room, and that's MESA.
If you're involved in the Dallas MSA and want to network, this particular event seems pretty promising. It's good for bid winners who are looking for subcontractors, and it's good for potential subcontractors who are looking for opportunities with bid winners.
Here's what it says on the MESA site:
It will be from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., in the Palm Room of the Crowne Plaza Dallas Near the Galleria, at 14315 Midway Road, Addison (Dallas), TX. Attendees will enjoy beer, wine, soft drinks, and light hors d'oeuvres as they mix, mingle, and negotiate! Admission is free to contract winners looking for sub-contractors, and registration is just $25 for MESA members/prospective sub-contractors; and $35 for non-member/prospective sub-contractors. Advance registration and payment is required, by August 24, 2010. NO late registrations and NO walk-ins will be admitted. MESA reserves the right to deny or restrict admission to this event.
To take a closer look at the MESA event and to register, click here:
https://asoft144.securesites.net/secure/mesanet/index.php?src=forms&preview=1&id=Competitive%20Bidding%20Networking%20Event%20Registration&fs_id=Competi
tive%20Bidding%20Networking%20Event%20Registration
No, I don't normally promote events, but this one appears to be unique and useful.
The Bad
There are organizations that, in general, offer useful (if expensive) services to their members. In my view, an organization that offers an informational event that's packed with speculation is just not something I find acceptable. How can anyone tell me what my likelihood of winning is? Given that CMS didn't release financial requirements or specifics on how they were going to evaluate the information a bidder sent to them, is anyone qualified to tell me what my likelihood of winning is?
No. I thought about registering for the event I'm describing, but an attendee from another city told me to save my money. He didn't leave that event with any new information; he told me that there were a lot of unanswered questions and that he wasn't happy about it. I wouldn't be either.
It's human nature to want something for nothing. But it goes against the grain to get nothing for something. This undermines the credibility of the organization presenting such an event, just as it doesn't do a lot of good to the associations encouraging their members to attend. It may be a revenue sharing situation, but I'm not going to be happy if my state association recommends that I attend something that isn't going to benefit me.
The Ugly
The ugliness is the mixed signals, the rampant self interest, and the lack of progress in turning things around.
When I'm around other providers, I always hear someone say that "someone should do something."
Really? Well who might that someone be? If you're not a member of a strong and (legitimately) active association, you're depriving yourself of valuable assistance and depriving the association of your support (most of them have very reasonable dues that the professionals running the associations stretch in unbelievable ways).
Do note that I stress the word "professionals" when talking about who runs organizations and associations! There are several out there who are "run" by amateurs, and there is a difference. There are some run by providers (former providers or former providers turned consultants) who imagine that they're qualified to run an association because they have industry knowledge. Though a very rare few manage to pull this off, the vast majority do not.
There's far more involved than being able to give information. Nor does serving on the board of an association qualify an individual to run an association. You have reason to pause if a provider was a failure with his own business and turns to association work (or worse yet, consulting). Do you want someone giving you advice who couldn't walk the walk?
On the flip side, sometimes it seems like there are too many professionals in an organization. Let's look at AAHomecare as an example of this.
For admin staff, there's a CEO, a CFO, and Office Manager, and an Administrative Assistant. That's a lot of admin for what's really a small staff.
Now we move on to Government Relations and Government Affairs (is there really a difference? Probably not.) and Communications.
There is a VP of Government Relations, a Senior Director of Government Affairs, a Senior Manager of Government Affairs, and a Manager of Government Affairs. Then there are two people who have something to do with communications: a VP of Communications and Policy (policy?) and a Manager of Marketing and Communications.
Considering the utter lack of AAHomecare's success in D.C., does it really need all that staff and their inflated titles? Are the members getting what they pay for? So far, no. AAHomecare has, for more than a decade, failed as the industry's voice in Washington.
And there's one, just one, person who does Education and Meetings. That's a bit lopsided, isn't it? I just don't understand.
If AAHomecare was an effective national organization, would we have others spring up in the last few years? True, none of the others is terribly effective either. But is splintering the industry and presenting different messages helping? Of course not. There has to be a better answer.
The Confusing
I've had feedback on this blog, and all of it has been positive. Everyone who has given said feedback has said that he (or she) agrees with me. Yet these very people maintain the status quo. They don't want to make waves. Why not? Is the status quo getting results?
No one wants to be controversial. Again, why not? Is staying quiet solving the problems that plague the industry?
We're back to the definition of insanity from an earlier post. The industry uses the same tactics and presents the same arguments over and over again and expects different results. The tactics and arguments aren't working. Saying that beneficiaries will lose choice is a silly argument. They can stay with their grandfathered providers or go with a new one under competitive bidding. New beneficiaries won't be assigned a provider; they can choose from among several. Harping on care in the home is pointless when no one can define what "care" the industry provides (delivery and set up do not equal care in the home). If you can't support a position with documentation, don't offer the position.
Time is running out to stop competitive bidding. The industry has used the same approach to the problem; unsuccessful lawsuits and illogical talking points highlight the tactics. It's past time to nod as you read these posts, agreeing in silence. Where is your silence getting you?
No comments:
Post a Comment