Gentiva Exec's Plain Language

StrangeTony,

Gentiva executives hired attorneys to challenge the Center for Medicare/Medicaid in 2013.  They decried a ruling that ignored "plain language":  

The D.C. Circuit in July allowed Medicare contractors to determine on their own whether "sustained and high levels" of overpayments have been doled out to providers, which then allows them to extrapolate from a small sample of audited billing statements to assume that a huge number of overpayments must have been made.

Attorneys for home health care provider Gentiva Healthcare Corp. complained that the ruling ran afoul of the plain language of federal law, which they said suggests only the secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services can make such a determination.

Consider how these same executives communicated with employees on a change in mileage reimbursement. Can you discern a mileage rate from the text of this Executive Memo?

To: All Associates 
From:  EVP & Chief Operating Officer 
Date: January 8, 2014 
Subject: New Company Mileage Reimbursement Base Rate

As we continue to bring Harden and Gentiva together, we are working to standardize many of the policies and practices of our company so we can truly work as One Gentiva. One of the things we must unify through this process is the mileage reimbursement.

This formula is calculated differently for both companies right now. To ensure consistency, we would like for all Gentiva to have one base rate based on geography. 

Therefore, to align with Harden, all legacy Gentiva will be adding 1 cent to its base rate for mileage effective January 11, 2014. 

In addition, Gentiva has historically provided a supplemental increase based on rising gas prices. This increase currently stands at 2 cents for Gentiva. However, with the adjustment of the base rate up and overall gas prices flat to down, Gentiva will be removing this 2-cent increase, creating a new baseline for all of Gentiva. 

Please know that we will continue to monitor gas prices and adjust accordingly. Most of all, thank you for delivering great patient care, and I look forward to reaching more patients and families than ever as One Gentiva.

And the new baseline is.....   I have no clue from this executive memo.

Gentiva claims it wants to be the employer of choice.  What job seeker would chose a company that repeatedly offers complexity and obfuscation?  Authors of The Federal Register might be impressed, but most employees are disgusted with the lack of plain talk.  Hope things are better at Generic.

Anonymous