Florida Alliance to Protest 'Medicare Fraud Summit' in Miami Friday

U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Attorney General Eric Holder will be in Miami Friday for a "Medicare Fraud Summit."

The first of a series of daylong gatherings across the country, federal officials say the meetings will "discussways to eliminate fraud within the U.S. health care system."

Calling the summit itself a fraud, one Florida trade group said it will protest the event to call attention to problems associated with Medicare bidding rules.

"Medicare said it was only going to allow financially sound companies to win the bid; yet, for example, large national firms on the verge of bankruptcy with $250 million in debt, due in two years, were allowed to win," the Alliance of Home Care Services stated in a release.

The Doral-based organization added:

"Medicare bidding will create fraud because at 40 percent to 60 percent reductions in reimbursement and by the including of known fraudulent companies, we can be assured the only way to not lose money, let alone make a profit in Medicare, will be to commit fraud.

"No real company can exist with 40-to-60 percent cuts."

Robert Brant, president of the Accredited Medical Equipment Providers of America, said, "Medicare is not listening to the concerns of the elderly or the accredited and licensed DME providers. Congress delayed this program in 2008, because Medicare allowed out-of-area, inexperienced, financially bankrupt companies to win with desperate 'suicide bids.' The only thing that has changed is that Medicare lowered their financial qualifications and bids are now much lower than manufacturer's cost.

"Despite the fact that Medicare does not require same-day deliveries, brand-name products, local providers, experienced providers or financially sound providers they are still trying to sell this as a benefit to the elderly."

Today's summit meeting, scheduled to start at 9:45 a.m., will convene at the James L. Knight Center, 400 SE 2nd Ave., Miami.