The battle is not over for SGD

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Nikki J

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PALS
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The news that medicare had reconsidered its policy on internet access for SGDs is only a reprieve. There is a comment page that all US members need to comment on and get your family and friends to do it too.
The issues as you know
The new rule disallowed devices with the capability of internet access even if you pay for the add on. If you hack them and they find out it would be confiscated. Only speech generation allowed. So no email no text no phone no social media no downloads of ebooks movies music
The environmental controls some pALS use would not be possible
The other issue is because it is a rental now for 13 months until you own it is taken away if you are hospitalized or in a nursing home. So could not even communicate using the device with the doctors and nurses.
Here is the link
Medicare Coverage Document (MCD) for Speech Generating Devices
 
Where is the comment page? Dont see it in the link.

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Speech Generating Devices
 
On the right near the top I see a brown button saying comment ( it is the last of four brown buttons in that column)
 
Or did you want to see comments already made? Look in document information for link view public comments
 
ok im being stupid. I see the comment button. not sure if my comments would be appreciated as I have a very hard time being polite to bozos like the CMS bureaucrats. I dont see the document information for link view public comment area.
 
Speech Generating Devices
Select the ’Print Record’, ‘Add to Basket’ or ‘Email Record’ buttons to print the record, to add it to your basket or to email the record. If the record is open for public comment, select the ‘Comment’ button to submit a public comment.




Document Information
Date:
11/06/2014
Public Comment Period:
11/06/2014 - 12/06/2014 View Public Comments
Title: Speech Generating Devices
This did not copy well but it is in the section after the comment button section
 
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