Two new portals are collecting real-life accounts of patients whose access to noninvasive ventilators (NIV) or continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) is being restricted.
In a Sept. 4 bulletin, the American Association for Homecare (AAHomecare) said the information gathered “will be used in advocacy efforts to educate payers and governmental agencies on the access issues and proposed solutions.”
Home medical equipment (HME) suppliers are being urged to direct their customers to the NIV or CGM pages, where they can upload written or video comments.
Each portal includes a summary about NIV or CGM access issues, as well as a few questions — “How has this denial impacted your daily life and health? What do you wish that others understood about the importance of NIV in managing your diagnosis?” — that patients can use to help them articulate their comments.
“As we advocate for access to medically necessary equipment in the home, it is important for payers and government officials to understand how restrictive policies impact patients directly,” said David Chandler, AAHomecare vice president of payer relations. “By sharing these experiences, we can all gain greater insight into the challenges end users face accessing HME and work together to reduce barriers to care.”
Last fall, AAHomecare and the ALS Association said they were concerned that Medicare Advantage plans were restricting NIV coverage, and were collaborating to present their concerns to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
Some Medicare Advantage plans, as well as some Medicaid programs, are also being accused of shifting coverage of CGMs to Part D, “with some restricting access through suppliers and going to a pharmacy-only channel,” the AAHomecare bulletin said.
