FRO M T H E N RRTS OF F IC E
WHAT IN THE WORLD? Written by: GERRY DICKERSON, ATP, CRTS ®
This is late spring 2022, and we are still discussing COVID-19! As I write this president’s message, I’m listening to local New York City talk radio and a discussion about masks. My head is spinning as they report the use of masks on airplanes. Mask on, mask off, mask on again! No mask on the plane; however, depending on the airport, you might need a mask, or maybe not. Then, there is the incident with “Iron” Mike Tyson! I stare into a world I do not recognize. Plans are moving along for this year’s virtual CRT Congressional Fly-In. Sept. 14 is the day to mark on your calendar. Register early and encourage everyone you know to register, too! For this message, with this year’s CRT Congressional Fly-In, I looked back at DIRECTIONS, Volume 2, Spring 2008. Once again, the more things change, the more they stay the same. Cara Bachenheimer discussed the Medicare program's launch of competitive acquisition. In her article, Bachenheimer stated, “With CMS’ imminent release of its winning bidders and bid prices in the first ten metropolitan areas, and its scheduled July 1 start date for the bidding process in the next 70 metropolitan areas, we will have meaningful data about the real effects of the program.” I didn’t need to look at the data as I watched good, family-run businesses, dedicated to serving their customers, close their doors one by one. Hundreds, if not thousands of jobs lost. Consumer care altered forever. People I see every day for CRT are complaining about the level of “service” for standard Durable Medical Equipment. They wait months and months for repair of hospital beds, patient lifts and their K001, K002 or K003 manual wheelchairs. Competitive Bidding drove the reimbursement to such a low point, these chairs barely last five months, let alone the five-year reasonable useful lifetime, RUL in Medicare speak. Competitive Bidding was successful in driving down costs, but more importantly, it drove care out of the equation. Consumer advocate, Selene Faer Dalton-Kumins, passionately wrote, “Shortly after being diagnosed, I was taught one who has talents and capabilities and who has been given life and sufficient breath is
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DIRECTIONS 2022.3
I WAS TAUGHT ONE WHO HAS TALENTS AND CAPABILITIES AND WHO HAS BEEN GIVEN LIFE AND SUFFICIENT BREATH IS OBLIGATED TO SPEAK OUT FOR THOSE WHO CANNOT. obligated to speak out for those who cannot.” In describing her speeches regarding advocacy, Faer Dalton-Kumins went on to say, “I talked about laws regarding disability, the exceptionally high cost of equipment and medical care, and the ongoing and enormous obstacles encountered. I described the loss of life and unrealized potential that resulted at times from disease or injury, and at other times from ignorance and the inattentiveness of society.” Powerful words! We all need to be like Faer Dalton-Kumins. Speak up for the consumers who you serve. Speak up for yourself. Those of us who work in the provision of Complex Rehab Technology (CRT) are caring and compassionate people capable of changing people’s lives with CRT interventions. Don’t say, “I’m too busy, I don’t have time to advocate.” If we don’t advocate for change, you might have more time on your hands than you expected. ‘Til next time,
CONTACT THE AUTHOR Gerry may be reached at GDCRTS@GMAIL.COM
Gerry Dickerson, ATP, CRTS ®, is a 40-plus year veteran of the Durable Medical Equipment and Complex Rehab Technology industries. Dickerson, president of NRRTS, works for National Seating & Mobility in Plainview, New York. Dickerson is the recipient of the NRRTS Simon Margolis Fellow Award and is also a RESNA fellow. He has presented nationally at the RESNA conference, ISS and the National CRT conference and is a past board member of NCART.
