November 1997

November 1997

The Voice of Courage
PUBLISHED TO ENLIGHTEN THE NEW LARYNGECTOMEES ABOUT THEIR FUTURE LIFE, SINCE MID 1972

By Dean Rosecrans P.O. Box 310 Nampa, Idaho 83653 1-800-237-3699 11/12/97

Price Increase | Zip Codes | Secondary Insurance | Discount Order Form

| Price Increase |

Oh! Oh! I did it again. Yes, I raised the price of the FOAM FILTER and the FOAM and ADHESIVE. Why? Stop and think of how many price increases in the past year. Even the Post Office is again raising the price of stamps. Stamps, yes, stamps, we use a lot of them giving away SASE (self-addressed stamped envelopes) with each order and/or sample kit.

All other prices on our stoma care products remain the same. Medicare sets the standard for DME supplies and Medicare Part B will allow the purchase of $100.00 every 3 months for stoma care products. I mean three months not calendar quarters but every three months. If you purchase in November you can buy another $100.00 worth of stoma care products in February. If you buy in December you can buy again in March. Speech aid batteries are under a separate category and the allowable is two batteries every six months. If you buy in November you can buy another two in May. Now that your medical deductible has been met for 1997 for your major medical insurance and/or Medicare you should think about sending in an order before the end of the year.

A word about the end of the year. The end of the year is December 31, 1997 and it happens to be on Wednesday so mail will be delivered and we will be open to process your late orders. Those orders that are received on Friday January 2, 1998 will be processed in 1998 and require a new $100.00 deductible on Medicare and/or whatever deductible you have on your Major Medical insurance. So, please make sure your orders are mailed prior to Christmas. In fact mail them prior to Christmas week, ie, mail them the week of the 15th to assure that your order will be processed in 1997. Uncle Sam will appreciate your consideration saving him the 5% increase in the price of stoma care products in 1998.

Take a look at the enclosed SPECIAL ORDER FORM. The price in 1997 is $36.00 for 120 Foam Filters, $72.00 for 240 and $108.00 for 360. These can be delivered all at one time, 60 every 15 days , 60 every 30 days or 60 every 60 days. Use this years deductible and buy a year's supply in advance. Next year the cost will be 120 @ $38.00, 240 @ $76.00 or 360 @ $114.00, so save your insurance company and/or Medicare and order in 1997.

| Secondary Insurance |

We have been having trouble collecting from some secondary insurance companies. I don't know the reason but the paperwork is overwhelming in some cases.

We ask for an original Medicare order to be at least $75.00 for the simple reason the original paper work is time consuming. We must have all the Is doted and all of the Ts crossed. The Medicare recipient doesn't know why we ask for the medical doctor's UPIN number or know what it is.

We know and when filing electronically all must be submitted correctly or the claim is denied. Denials take time to correct so we know the system and adhere to it without question.

The Medicare recipient can receive letters and notices that we cannot file a claim without the proper information. Some just give up. We can file a claim anytime within 15 months of the date of service. So we keep asking for the proper information.

Now the secondary claim is really not up to us to file. We file both claims with Medicare and it is up to Medicare to file the claim for us with the Medicare recipient's secondary insurance.

You can see the problem. Someone who had met the yearly deductible of $100.00 with Medicare sends us proof and a copy their secondary insurance card with their order. This is great but many of the small secondary insurance companies are not electronically connected to Medicare and we never get paid.

Starting in 1998 we will only accept assignment of secondary insurance claims from Medicare recipients that have secondary insurance that is electronically connected to Medicare. When we receive a claim assignment that doesn't meet our requirements we will call and ask for proof of deductible and the 20% to be paid with the order.

Price Increase | Zip Codes | Secondary Insurance | Discount Order Form

| Zip Codes |

Every one wonders why we do not use the 9 digit zip code that the post office is using. The reason is simple. We use the 10x13 inch envelopes to ship our products. The 9 digit zip code is for automatic machines. Our shipments probably can never be automated so why change our system from 5 to 9 digit zip codes.

We also use Federal Express for our credit orders. Federal Express does not use the 9 digit system either.

Sure when the year 2000 changes our computers will have to change and at that time we will probably update our computers to 9 digit zip codes.

| Discount Order Form |

The DISCOUNT ORDER FORM enclosed is for 1998. It is no longer called discount order form but simply REORDER FORM. We should probably call it the Bulk Rate reorder form, because we used to save money sending mail fourth class but today the savings are gone. But I ask you to use this order form because It is easier for us to break the order up into two or more shipments. Our daily mail could not be put out on the same day as it is received if we had to send all orders complete. So we rely on the old bulk rate system and send part of the order the same day it is received and the balance as noted on the order..

I suggest you buy in quantities of $100.00 or more and get it shipped as you desire. Fresh foam is a joy to use. Old stiff foam can add to the mucus generated at the stoma if the stiffness irritates the stoma or keeps the foam away from the opening. The foam must adhere to the contour of the throat to be effective in reducing the mucus. Sure you can press it to the throat with a stoma cover but with stiff foam this might increase the problem.

So have your fresh foam delivered to you according to your use, every 15,30,or 60 days.

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November 1997
The Voice of Courage PUBLISHED TO ENLIGHTEN THE NEW LARYNGECTOMEES ABOUT THEIR FUTURE LIFE, SINCE MID 1972 By Dean Rosecrans P.O. Box 310 Nampa, Idaho 83653 1-800-237-3699 11/12/97
Price Increase \| Zip Codes \| Secondary Insurance \| Discount Order Form
\| Price Increase \| Oh! Oh! I did it again. Yes, I raised the price of the FOAM FILTER and the FOAM and ADHESIVE. Why? Stop and think of how many price increases in the past year. Even the Post Office is again raising the price of stamps. Stamps, yes, stamps, we use a lot of them giving away SASE (self-addressed stamped envelopes) with each order and/or sample kit. All other prices on our stoma care products remain the same. Medicare sets the standard for DME supplies and Medicare Part B will allow the purchase of $100.00 every 3 months for stoma care products. I mean three months not calendar quarters but every three months. If you purchase in November you can buy another $100.00 worth of stoma care products in February. If you buy in December you can buy again in March. Speech aid batteries are under a separate category and the allowable is two batteries every six months. If you buy in November you can buy another two in May. Now that your medical deductible has been met for 1997 for your major medical insurance and/or Medicare you should think about sending in an order before the end of the year. A word about the end of the year. The end of the year is December 31, 1997 and it happens to be on Wednesday so mail will be delivered and we will be open to process your late orders. Those orders that are received on Friday January 2, 1998 will be processed in 1998 and require a new $100.00 deductible on Medicare and/or whatever deductible you have on your Major Medical insurance. So, please make sure your orders are mailed prior to Christmas. In fact mail them prior to Christmas week, ie, mail them the week of the 15th to assure that your order will be processed in 1997. Uncle Sam will appreciate your consideration saving him the 5% increase in the price of stoma care products in 1998. Take a look at the enclosed SPECIAL ORDER FORM. The price in 1997 is $36.00 for 120 Foam Filters, $72.00 for 240 and $108.00 for 360. These can be delivered all at one time, 60 every 15 days , 60 every 30 days or 60 every 60 days. Use this years deductible and buy a year's supply in advance. Next year the cost will be 120 @ $38.00, 240 @ $76.00 or 360 @ $114.00, so save your insurance company and/or Medicare and order in 1997.		\| Secondary Insurance \| We have been having trouble collecting from some secondary insurance companies. I don't know the reason but the paperwork is overwhelming in some cases. We ask for an original Medicare order to be at least $75.00 for the simple reason the original paper work is time consuming. We must have all the Is doted and all of the Ts crossed. The Medicare recipient doesn't know why we ask for the medical doctor's UPIN number or know what it is. We know and when filing electronically all must be submitted correctly or the claim is denied. Denials take time to correct so we know the system and adhere to it without question. The Medicare recipient can receive letters and notices that we cannot file a claim without the proper information. Some just give up. We can file a claim anytime within 15 months of the date of service. So we keep asking for the proper information. Now the secondary claim is really not up to us to file. We file both claims with Medicare and it is up to Medicare to file the claim for us with the Medicare recipient's secondary insurance. You can see the problem. Someone who had met the yearly deductible of $100.00 with Medicare sends us proof and a copy their secondary insurance card with their order. This is great but many of the small secondary insurance companies are not electronically connected to Medicare and we never get paid. Starting in 1998 we will only accept assignment of secondary insurance claims from Medicare recipients that have secondary insurance that is electronically connected to Medicare. When we receive a claim assignment that doesn't meet our requirements we will call and ask for proof of deductible and the 20% to be paid with the order.
Price Increase \| Zip Codes \| Secondary Insurance \| Discount Order Form
\| Zip Codes \| Every one wonders why we do not use the 9 digit zip code that the post office is using. The reason is simple. We use the 10x13 inch envelopes to ship our products. The 9 digit zip code is for automatic machines. Our shipments probably can never be automated so why change our system from 5 to 9 digit zip codes. We also use Federal Express for our credit orders. Federal Express does not use the 9 digit system either. Sure when the year 2000 changes our computers will have to change and at that time we will probably update our computers to 9 digit zip codes.		\| Discount Order Form \| The DISCOUNT ORDER FORM enclosed is for 1998. It is no longer called discount order form but simply REORDER FORM. We should probably call it the Bulk Rate reorder form, because we used to save money sending mail fourth class but today the savings are gone. But I ask you to use this order form because It is easier for us to break the order up into two or more shipments. Our daily mail could not be put out on the same day as it is received if we had to send all orders complete. So we rely on the old bulk rate system and send part of the order the same day it is received and the balance as noted on the order.. I suggest you buy in quantities of $100.00 or more and get it shipped as you desire. Fresh foam is a joy to use. Old stiff foam can add to the mucus generated at the stoma if the stiffness irritates the stoma or keeps the foam away from the opening. The foam must adhere to the contour of the throat to be effective in reducing the mucus. Sure you can press it to the throat with a stoma cover but with stiff foam this might increase the problem. So have your fresh foam delivered to you according to your use, every 15,30,or 60 days.