Discussion

“Competitive Bidding and Long-Term Cost Savings” Please respond to the following:

From the e-Activity, take a position on whether competitive bidding provides long-term cost savings when Medicare patients are

being limited to the use of the lowest bidders for durable medical equipment. Support your position.

e-Activity

Review the GAO report titled “Medicare: Issues for Manufacturer-Level Competitive Bidding for Durable Medical Equipment,” located at

http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d11337r.pdf, and then take note on the value of competitive bidding for long-term cost savings.

Elaborate on whether or not competitive bidding will remain a viable alternative when the Patient Protection and Affordable Care

Act is fully implemented in 2014. Support your position. Discuss defining factors regarding the competitive bidding process and its

survival or failure in the healthcare arena if Universal Health Care is implemented in 2014.