HME providers face situations every day that fall into areas of gray, but the unforgiving climate of Medicare audits is all black-and-white.
March 2011
March 2011
A Jurisdiction D DME MAC prepayment review of K0823 power wheelchairs has resulted in a 90% error rate, mostly because of lack of documentation, according to a Noridian Administrative Services notice.
Golden Technologies has once again landed contracts to supply personal mobility scooters to the U.S. Department of Veterans' Affairs.
100 liquid oxygen tanks and reservoirs for sale, including H-46'S, PB41, Caire, Helios, and various concentrators. All this equipment is in good working condition.
Permobil has launched a cross-country "Power Trip" to show off its new M300 mid-wheel drive wheelchair and Corpus 3G seating system.
H.R. 1041, the new bill to repeal DMEPOS competitive bidding, which is called the Fairness in Medicare Bidding Act, was introduced Friday by Reps. Jason Altmire, D-Pa., and Glenn Thompson, R-Pa.
"Fortunately, technology and a federal statute have intervened to make it easier for the provider to obtain the beneficiary's signature. In a number of instances, a 'blue ink' signature is not required."
Both a written transcript and audio version of a CERT Ask the Contractor call on oxygen policy has been posted on the DME MACs' websites.
After concluding its most recent widespread prepayment review of claims for power wheelchairs (HCPCS K0823), NHIC, the DME MAC for Jurisdiction A, will continue to review those claims.
Wouldn't it be interesting if our customers helped us create a sales plan?
What PPACA has to say about it
Various HME products, including: Otto Bock's Kiwi Pediatric Wheelchair; PP&R Products' Comfort Caddy; GF Health Products' Lumex AltaDyne 765000; Quantum Rehab's Synergy Solution; Diabco's ARX-Lite; and more.
While the timing of the national mail-order bid for diabetic supplies has not yet been announced, here are the basics of what the program will look like:
Allcare Medical reinvents itself to stay ahead of industry changes.
According to an OIG report, providers submitted claims for at least 75 types of mail-order diabetic test strips in the last quarter of 2009.
Providers in the diabetes sector face competitive bidding prices that don't add up.
Manual wheelchairs are a mainstay for many mobility providers, yet sales reps spend little time analyzing how to sell them.
Oxygen products and accessories, including: AirSep's Focus; Invacare's SOLO2; Life Corp.'s Emergency Oxygen Units; Air Lift's Liquid Oxygen Backpack Carrier; Maxtec's MaxO2+; Caire's Helios Plus; and more.
Last year's crop of da Vinci Awards winners highlighted technologies that enable equal access for all people, regardless of ability.
Aging population and active lifestyles drive the manual wheelchair market against funding issues and bidding uncertainty.
As this issue went to press, economist Peter Cramton had invited home medical equipment stakeholders to an industry shindig of sorts — a Medicare conference that has as its centerpiece a mock HME auction.
National competitive bidding may have started, but the industry hasn't stopped its efforts to get the program repealed.