Complaint form — Medicare Advantage Plans
The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services has created an online complaint form for Medicare Advantage Plans.
The form will need to be filled out by the provider on behalf of the consumer.
So, if you have a consumer having issues with their Advantage Plans, you can file a complaint here:
(https://www.cms.gov/medicare/health-drug-plans/provider-complaints-form)
Thanks to Gerry Dickerson for bringing this to our attention. We realize more time on paperwork is not how most of us want to spend our day, but this is a great tool for holding the Advantage Plans to the rules.
And so, it begins…
The 2026 state legislative sessions have begun. The Complex Rehab Technology industry is working on legislation to remove burdensome requirements, such as prior authorization for repairs. This duplicative process only slows down the repair process for consumers. Many states have either removed repair prior authorization requirements or have set a cap — anything under a certain amount does not require prior authorization. In one state that completely removed prior authorization for repairs, we saw a 21-day reduction in overall repair times. This is great for consumers and providers because we take care of our patients much more quickly, and we can focus on others who need our help.
We are working on bills in Massachusetts, New York, Florida, California, Hawaii and Alabama. Â
Preparation for the unknown and your help
We have begun to see some proposed fee schedule changes and cuts from several states, in part due to the federal Medicaid changes passed by President Donald Trump’s administration. The National Coalition for Assistive & Rehab Technology utilizes a federal and state tracking program to monitor these proposals. However, technology is great when it is working properly, but we do need you to keep your eyes and ears open and report anything that you hear from your state Medicaid program. Please email Wayne Grau, executive director of NCART, at Wgrau@Ncart.us.
Thank you
I would like to take the opportunity to thank all the customer service staff who work with our patients for answering their questions and pushing through the paperwork required by insurance companies and all the payers. Consumers, caregivers, legislators and others do not understand the complexity of providing complex rehab equipment and services. We all rely on these dedicated team members to be the front person who works with the consumers to educate them about the process. This is not an easy job, and we say thank you for all the work you do.
Advocacy quotes
“It took me quite a long time to develop a voice, and now that I have it, I am not going to be silent.” — Madeleine Albright
We have the voice of the people we serve! Let’s not be silent.
Wayne may be reached at wgrau@ncart.us.
Wayne Grau is the executive director of NCART. His career in the CRT industry spans more than 30 years and includes working in Rehab Industry Affairs and began working exclusively with Complex Rehab companies. Grau graduated from Baylor University with an MBA in healthcare. He’s excited to be working exclusively with CRT manufacturers, providers, and the individuals we serve who use CRT equipment.