NYT: Medicare Change Will Limit Access to Claim Hearing

[kskiska]

WASHINGTON, April 23 - A new federal policy will make it significantly more difficult for Medicare beneficiaries to obtain hearings in person before a judge when the government denies their claims for home care, nursing home services, prescription drugs and other treatments.

For years, hearings have been held at more than 140 Social Security offices around the country. In July, the Department of Health and Human Services will take over the responsibility, and department officials said all judges would then be located at just four sites - in Cleveland; Miami; Irvine, Calif.; and Arlington, Va.

Under the new policy, Medicare officials said, most hearings will be held with videoconference equipment or by telephone. A beneficiary who wants to appear in person before a judge must show that "special or extraordinary circumstances exist," the rules say.

But a beneficiary who insists on a face-to-face hearing will lose the right to receive a decision within 90 days, the deadline set by statute.

more…
http://nytimes.com/2005/04/24/national/24medicare.html?hp&ex=1114315200&en=68b09aa170c40aa9&ei=5094&partner=homepage

[Straight Shooter]

1. That's bad. That is very, very bad.

How can someone make any kind of reasonable decision without actually being in the presence of the person making the claim? That's like having a trial without the jury being present when witnesses testify.

:banghead:

[rodeodance]

2. these new rules are all about judges who are thought to side with patients

...Ronald T. Osborn of Charlotte, N.C., who has been an administrative law judge since 1974 and has specialized in Medicare cases since 1996, said he had no interest in moving to the Department of Health and Human Services.

"Under the department's procedural rules," Mr. Osborn said, "judges will have less freedom to handle individual cases as they see fit."

Ms. Stein said that under the rules "it will be easier for Medicare officials to participate in hearings and to influence decisions, often to the detriment of beneficiaries."

[rodeodance]

3. this is aimed at those 'activist' judges and gives more control to Fed.

goverment regarding patient claims.

[jdj]

4. this is just out-freaking-rageous.

I don't see how they can get away with this.

unreal.

[AuntiBush]

5. Nuts! Heard about this.

Nothing like making it even harder for the disabled, elderly, and the already sick, and trotted.

This entire crap of well, crap has got to implode. Sooner then later, hopefully but it looks bad. Very bad, in deed.

[leQ]

6. the assault on judges has started....

watch for it to creep into other departments.

[Daphne08]

7. I guess they want old people to-- just hurry up and die!!

They wage an unnecessary war that kills and maims and yet, they do this at the same time?

Unconscionable policy by those who claim to be Christian!

My anger is turning into rage!

[Coastie for Truth]

8. When it creeps into other Departments

wait for retired pharmaceutical company patent attorneys to be named to the Patent And Trademark Office's "Board of Appeals and Interferences" - the GOP will not name software company and computer company patent attorneys -- too many from California and too many Dems. But, Big Pharma - that's a different matter.