Physio-Stim or Exogen 4000? Why?

However, the economical studies show that Exogen is the most cost effective due to highest efficacy. Physicians who have tried the e-stims then try Exogen , stay with Exogen unless the rep pisses them off.

At the end of the day, surgeons seem to care more about relationships and habit rather than what is the best in class. Many times, as we all know, it's who the Drs. assistant,likes the most. Dr. wants a "bone stimulator" so she/he calls the rep they like the most or who just fed them.

 

Whether bone stims work or not, billing improperly to Medicare to enrich corporate coffers is just wrong. Reprocessing equipment is part of what HME companies must do to comply with standards. Offering a patient the rental option is standard #5. It is there to keep costs to Medicare down. The companies know it would not nearly be as profitable so they don't offer it and hide behind the single patient use theory which holds no water. Medicare is too dumb to understand and large companies can intimidate them. It appears their collusion has allowed them to proliferate a market and boldly continue with their "great bone stim scam" which will soon be significantly curtailed after dealing with the DOJ. Without the infrastucture to do properly, companies will soon have to go to HME's if the business is allowed to continue at all.

 

Neither Medicare nor the companies can decide the rental/purchase. It is a patient only decision. As a patient, would you want to pay $70/month of use or $700 up front for a BGS? Medicare pays because they assume patient decided to purchase. How dumb are these people processing claims in Medicare? And I'll bet if they work 25yrs they can retire and get 85% of their salary and health benfits for the rest of their life. The system is clearly broken. What's the difference?

 

Yes, I do, thanks. Normally in this field we judge the efficacy of our products by our clinical trials. The DJ device has a 60.7% heal rate, which is by far the worst on the market. Anything higher than 60.7% and you are quoting your 'post-marketing registry data', which is of course done by your own company. 60% compared to 80% would in many people's view qualify as 'horrible'.

 

Aren't all these bone stim companies being investigated by the Department Of Justice currently?

 

The history of BGS is full of holes since its inception with the FDA, the way it got approved, and the billing chaos of the late 90's when the DMERC's regionalized in 1994. Getting the product in the "routinely purchased" category (simply because over 75% of billings were remitted purchase), gave companies what they thought was the right to bill as a purchase 100% of the time and manufactured the product accordingly, with 9 month shut off and single patient use self designation. The rental code is not used, although it is provided. Wheelchairs now require a rental for the first month, this product certainly should as well since many patients only utilize it that long. Medical necessity is still required and patient's deserve the choice to pay 20% of the monthly rental rather than 20% of the entire purchase price. Buy the BGS on Ebay for $100...used only once!

 

Right. Used only once, smelling like an ashtray and with blood and pus stains on it. Put a 'rental' on your kid and feel good about it.

 

Orthofix announces a $43M dollar settlement with DOJ for Medicare today only means that crime does pay. They have made a whole lot more. How does the community feel about that?

 

Awesome. Now they just have to settle this little matter:

http://www.bizjournals.com/boston/stories/2009/04/13/daily55.html

and this small problem:

http://www.boston.com/business/healthcare/articles/2008/01/04/plea_bolsters_kickback_case_against_mass_medical_firm/

and Orthofix will be right on track.

 

Yeah, and our lawmakers all have the Payer, we ALL love; BCBS Federal, which they will also have as secondary when they retire. Cadillac Plan and Never seen a Denial yet!

But you are absolutely right. We all SHOULD be giving the patient the option but HOW CAN WE when the top executives of all our companies have aledgedly gotten together and decided that we will not rent the units and we are NOT set up to do so. So as a rep how would I handle the rental if the patient opted for it? The company has offered no direction. Now I wonder if these companies are just riding the gravy train until something is more definative. Seems like things are gonna catch up.

Time to look elsewhere....sick of it. The companies should just rent and let the clinics deal with educating the patient and providing the units. Like Holter monitors. Ugh, suddenly I feel like I need another shower....

 

Companies can offer no direction because they know they are wrong. ClassIII, single patient use, purchase only policy, all are amunition to defend a long standing profit extravaganza contolled by a few but paid for by the many taxpayers and unsuspecting patients. Yes Mr. patient, you can rent but our company doesn't and neither does anyone else. If you can't pay the $700, don't worry, we will write it off. Aren't we nice?