Medicare Compliance & Reimbursement

House hears doctors' concerns about recovery.

As victims struggle to recover from recent disasters, they are geting continued support in the medical community. In fact, most physicians seem to feel more assistance is in order.

In testimony before the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Sept. 22, the American Medical Association trustee Ardis Hoven supported the federal efforts to increase funding to help address public health concerns in the wake of Hurricane Katrina and ensure delivery of care to patients in the affected areas. AMA: Funding Would Aid 4 Activities The AMA specifically identified four activities meriting additional federal funding:

• Providing financial assistance to individuals who need help in meeting their insurance premiums to ensure that patients in the affected areas have adequate health insurance coverage.

• Assisting displaced physicians in re-establishing their practices or relocating to ensure their patients' access to care.

• Detecting, monitoring and treating emerging infections as well as supporting diagnostic labs.

• Providing sufficient supplies of Centers for Disease Control-recommended vaccines to affected communities. "The challenges of providing medical care in the midst of this disaster were  unprecedented," Hoven said.

"The public health and health care delivery infrastructures have been either completely destroyed or have sustained significant damage across the affected Gulf Coast," Hoven explained.