AN
OPEN MEMO TO OUR POLICY MAKERS AND LAWMAKERS
Re:
Medicare Claims to Be Held by CMS
This
is to inform you that at this time we are running a
negative cash flow and our reserves are dwindling to
the point where the employment and livelihood of the
12 persons who work here both part time and full
time have a very guarded prognosis. It is not clear
in my mind if this policy is the irresponsible
management of those involved or just the fact the
government is running out of money.
While
we are well advised that Medicare is coming to an
end, we hope that you assist us as the duly elected
Senator of Florida to help our chances of survival
and thus of helping the people we serve.
We
remain in the hope that the 10.6% physician
reimbursement cut will be retroactively rescinded
soon. We find it most unfair and unjust that CMS
has allowed its carriers (such as First Coast
Service Options in Florida) to hold claims for July
services until July 10. If a bill has not passed by
that time, those and all future claims will be paid
at the 10.6% reduced rate until such time as a bill
does pass.
Please understand that we may not be fighting the
war on terror but our war is the fight against
ignorance and disease. Let us hope that such
ignorance is only in the part of those most ill and
not of our policy makers and lawmakers.
I do
hope that you as lawmakers and policymakers, you
will appreciate that an interruption in our
practices’ cash flow for early July services added
to the irregularities in payments that we have
experienced over the past 4 months and may result in
irreparable damage to our livelihood and the
services we provide for the citizens of Florida.
One
thing you should be sure of Senators,
Representatives and policymakers: You can be sure
that we plan to continue to serve our people whether
in the streets or in the parking lots, in the
churches, community centers or their homes. Should
we be evicted, denied credits, or marginalized from
the health system where we work.
I trust that by the spirit and the letter of
this message you become aware to our dire
situation and come to our aid.
Let me thank you for being available and
accessible to the people you represent.
Dr.
Antonio M. Gordon, Jr., MD
MD Emory University 1975
PhD Florida State
University
