ORLANDO, Fla.--In the aftermath of Hurricane Wilma, CMS has denied a request by the Florida Association of Medical Equipment Services to allow HME companies to provide emergency oxygen to Medicare beneficiaries without a prescription.

According to FAMES, CMS told the organization that it "is not blanketly extending hurricane waivers as we did for Katrina to Wilma-affected areas," and that providers should contact their regional office to report problems, which will be dealt with on an individual basis.

"FAMES is very concerned that the estimated 824,488 people in the East Coast hurricane zone who are eligible to be participating in the Medicare program will not receive timely or effective assistance if cases are being handled on an 'individual basis,'" the state association said last week.

"We're still pursuing CMS trying to get them to change their minds," said Heather Allan, the association's executive director. "This was a Category 3 hurricane that hit, and the counties at the south end of the peninsula took a beating. We're not sure that everyone understands how bad it was, because the aftermath of Wilma has not received much news coverage.

"When you look at the population of people in those areas that were affected--Broward, Dade, Monroe and Palm Beach counties--we question whether it is feasible for the regional office of CMS to attempt to handle those claims on a case-by-case basis," she said.

"I am greatly disappointed with CMS' lack of consideration regarding the victims of Wilma," said FAMES President Raul Lopez, director of operations for Bayshore Dura Medical, Miami. "I feel that CMS should re-evaluate the situation and take into consideration the fact that approximately 25 percent of Wilma victims are eligible for Medicare benefits.

"I believe that CMS has not realized the scope of the disaster that has affected South Florida," continued Lopez, who took over as association president in September. "CMS needs to realize that there are almost 900,000 Medicare-eligible recipients that have possibly suffered disruption of services due to the number of DME providers that were also affected by Wilma, many of whom are still not 100 percent operational."

FAMES is asking all of its members to contact their legislators about the issue. For more information, contact the FAMES office at (407) 895-5573 or via e-mail at info@famesonline.org.