Carter Wrenn posted on July 21, 2009 16:45
For Immediate Release:
Contact Tracy Colvard or Tim Rogers: 919-848-3450 (office)
The Association for Home and Hospice Care released a new television ad today, responding to State Senator Doug Berger’s claim that thousands of elderly home care patients on Medicaid aren’t eligible for care.
“Senator Berger made a mistake,” said Tim Rogers, CEO of the Association for Home and Hospice Care of North Carolina. “He said 20,000 elderly patients don’t need the care they receive – but the report he cites doesn’t say that and he’s been told by the Department of Health and Human Services he’s wrong. In fact, the report he cites didn’t include an examination of even a single patient – so it can’t say they’re not eligible for or don’t need care.”
Script of Ad: “COVERING HIS TRACKS…STATE SENATOR DOUG BERGER CUT HOME CARE FOR TWENTY THOUSAND ELDERLY MEDICAID PATIENTS THEN COVERED HIS TRACKS…SAYING THIS REVIEW PROVES THE PATIENTS WEREN’T ELIGIBLE.
BUT BERGER’S REVIEW’S NOT WORTH A WOODEN NICKEL. BECAUSE IT DID NOT INCLUDE A PHYSICAL EXAMINATION OF A SINGLE PATIENT. SO NOW, BERGER HAS TO EXPLAIN HOW HE KNEW PATIENTS WEREN’T ELIBLE – WITHOUT AN EXAMINATION.”