Dan Gottry - Blog

Dan Gottry's Blog

Thursday, August 31, 2006

Patients in Rural Areas Suffer

I want to commend you on your efforts to raise awareness with the Cigna/ Hanger/Linkia partnership and it's effectiveness to the O & P patients and facilities.

The day we received the letter from Cigna , Linkia was called to make steps toward getting in network to be provider. I knew there would be no response and there was not !!

I spent 12 years with Hanger and I know how they have evolved into nothing but ... I am confident in saying that most Hanger employees are totally dissatisfied with Hanger and its dealing and more and more are leaving Hanger because of it.

The discount/fee Cigna is getting with the contact with Hanger/Linkia is 30% below medicare allowable . That's 30% below what medicare will pay.

Even though Hanger has 600 facilities it cannot cover the whole country. I do O&P work in a rural area and the closest Hanger facility to my office is 75 miles. So patients in my area will have to travel 150 miles round trip each time they need to be seen . Some may not be able to travel and I know that the closest Hanger facility will not be traveling to patients homes to do the work.

Another problem I see with this partnership is what happens if a patient is in the Hospital here in my town with Cigna Ins. and doctors orders a device for the patient. Is the closest Hanger facility going to travel that distance to take care of a Cigna patient. Usually a Hosp. patient requires at least 2 trips one to measure and one to fit a device.

The patients especally in rural areas are the ones that are going to suffer due to this partnership along with us that are trying to provide the service the patient needs.

Name Withheld

posted by Daniel Gottry at 11:21 AM