Do you really want to do something

I have read these forums for some time and am saddened that PPS has become what these forums paint. it wasnt always this way, anyways onto my point. The following is a brief description on how to actually do something.

A. if you suspect fraudulent paperwork such as CMN, RX, etc, make copies of said paperwork for your own records. gather names of patients, people involved, specific periods of rent that medicare was billed for these patients. Do not let on that you are gathering such data but collect as much as you can.

B. Any documentation or conversations held with management asking for any unsavory and illegal activities to be completed should be documented and forwarded to your own personal emails as well as paper copies kept for proof of said allegations.

C. Non Compete scare tactic is a ploy and has no bearing on pretty much every state in the US. PPS scares you with this so they have no immediete competition if you leave to a competitor.

D. Illegal/Non compliant activities to watch for: Titrations being completed to achieve saturations performed by non clinical staff. Mask fitting and CPAP set ups being performed by non clinician staff. For you drivers/sales reps out there, if you are being asked to perform said practices it against PPS accreditation filing. PPS files as a DME provider only not clinical services.

E. CA exemptee illegal practices: Are non exempt employees allowed access to the legend room? Are devices being pulled and distributed without proper log out by a designated center exemptee, if you answered yes please contact 916-650-6500

F. Contact ACHC with any illegal practices or non compliant situations that you notice or arise. You can contact them anonymously as well at 919-785-1214

G. Contact medicare whistleblowers, If I am correct any revenue recovered the whistleblower gets 30 %.

These are only a handful of the things that can be done if you really are concerned and want to make a difference. Understand that shutting PPS down completely will never happen but if you cripple enough centers by halting the illegal practices that are painted here it will cost them so many dollars that they will need to look at their practices. Each seperate investigation will take up PPS time and revenue, cause them to pay fines plus deal with any penalties that arise plus require them to provide services from other branches while said center is recooping. Medicare audits if found to be fruitful create large mass audits into a number of center records.

 

Thanks for the information.

 

Obviously nobody still wants to work for this so called company.

Do something about it.

 

To give you an idea of how much I dislike your company, I have come up with plagues I hope God smites your board of directors with.

1. Awkward. Every board member’s cell phone ring loudly announces their weight and also the day they’ll die.

2. Bathroom. The constant feeling that you have to go number two, but completely forgetting how.

3. Improv. Your first-born will want to be a short form improviser.

4. Popcorn. Your second born will smell like hot buttered popcorn. It’s not that bad at first, but eventually I bet it will be maddening.

 

I did something about my situation and all should follow the example. When someone takes the time to post what you can do about your circumstances take advantage of the actions you can take to DO THE RIGHT THING and report them. The offices I contacted were very helpful and very appreciative of my actions. Also needs to be said they confirmed my reports were not new to them but they need people to report all inappropraite incidents so they can DO something about it.

 

Well doing the right thing is worth the trouble. I was so disgusted with the actions of management withinthis company I took the previous post advice and did the right thing. No company receiving funds from a government agency should be allowed to commit fraud and abuse employees with intimidation. My DM told me to perform illegal actions and never ever to question her authority. I left on my own accord and now can move forward knowing I reported PPS for their actions because it is the right thing to do. Everyone who observes illegal actions in any job should report the actions with the same right you have to vote and no right to give opinions if you didn't vote. More forward in life and let the natural course of this company unfold before your eyes. Medicaid was very concerned and proved to me that they can not do anything if no one provides the information they need to take corrective action.

 

I am so flustered with my situation as a relatively new PCC I just have to get this off my chest. My D.M came to me this morning to ask me to set-up a discharge from the hospital. Well it turned out to be a 4 month old baby. I insisted on not doing this as I have no experience in the field with setting up any patients on oxygen, let alone a baby! She said the Tech was not comfortable doing it and If I didn't do the set-up the discharge could not happen and I might as well find a new job!! WTF did I sign up for?? Never did I think I could be put into such an precarious position as to what I thought was striclly a SALES POSITION! Has anyone else had this happen to them? I declined her request, (actually demand), so I guess I will have an extra long holiday weekend. I was actually warned about this company I just hoped for the best. live and learn.

 

Could you calibrate the concentrator? (Nothing personal).

CONSIDER YOURSELF... LUCKY!!!!!!

 

Duh! Any Patient on less than 1lpm should NOT, I repeat; NOT!! be on a concentrator!!!

That requires entirely different kind of equipment!!!!

 

You need to inform the discharge planner from the hospital and the physician of this incident. Then you need to lawyer up. Document, document, document.

 

find a new job. find a new job. find a new job. get out of dme all together. i lasted a year with this sh&t stack of a company. it will not get better it will get worse. you will get fired eventually if not for this for something else. you're on your dm's sh&t list already. trust me, you're screwed and he/she will make your life hell. expect more ride alongs so your dm can write you up and document your performance. plus you screwed your tech because the dm probably went back to him and said "you" refused and he'll end up doing it. i wish i was joking but that's how this company is. somewhat like the movie "heathers", you're the ugly girl now in the center. just leave is the best advice anyone can offer.

 

EVERY accreditation agency has standards which require documentation of competency BEFORE an employee sets up a patient; in this case, you would need to have demonstrated competency in concentrator set ups using equipment for pediatric patients. Depending on which state you are in, you may also have to be a licensed Respiratory Therapist.

Look at your job description-you should have a copy of the one you signed. If it does not say you are expected to do oxygen or equipment set ups, get a lawyer. What you have described is against PPS policy, accreditation and CMS standards, possibly in violation of medical practice laws, and dangerous to patients.

If the Service Tech who sets up oxygen all the time is uncomfortable, why would anyone think a salespersons who never does it and is not trained to do it should attempt it? Shows the type of people that PPS puts in middle management; morons.

 

This sound like another DM or OM without a clue with their respiratory patients let alone the business as a whole. The prior post is right, find a new job because they will blame you because you did not meet your quota. It would appear that your manager needs to learn what they are trying to sale or lease. Every good manager should know their industry and the equipment that they have as their assets. They probillaly don’t even know about a pediatric regulator for the tanks let alone the tank size, description or how long each tank will last. Then they will not even know how is the baby going to receive the oxygen, mask or cannula. It is not your fault that you have an idiot for a manager, it just shows the quality of people that PPS are putting within their organization.