Product Innovation, Legislative Updates Draw 21,000 to Medtrade Show

Atlanta

Despite looming Medicare reform legislation and a moratorium on new supplier numbers, attendance was strong at Medtrade 2003, held Oct. 9-11 at the Georgia World Congress Center. The HME industry trade show drew more than 21,000 home medical equipment providers and other home health care professionals for the second straight year.

Rep. Mike Ross, D-Ark., opened the show with an address to attendees at the American Association for Homecare’s “Washington Update,” sponsored by HomeCare. Ross, who strongly opposes competitive bidding provisions in H.R. 1, the House of Representatives version of Medicare reform, said there is a great deal of ignorance on Capitol Hill about the HME business and how providers work. “Many members think you pick a price you want to charge and send it to Medicare and they pay it,” he said.

“Going to competitive bidding, where you tell seniors who their provider is going to be, is dead wrong,” Ross said, adding that he has talked to fellow lawmakers “until I’m blue in the face” about the proposed measure. “When you start talking about home medical equipment,” he said, “I tell them: ‘Don’t look at what it costs you; look at what it saves you.’”

Ross knows the industry first-hand; he and his wife Holly own Holly’s Health Mart in Prescott, Ark., an HME business that includes a pharmacy and IV therapy.

While legislation and regulation remained top concerns for many attendees, the focus of the 24th annual expo and conference was on product innovation. More than 1,000 manufacturers, many in exhibit spaces that were innovative themselves, put their new products and services on view.

Permobil displayed its new Chairman 2S Aeron power wheelchair under a giant translucent orb and showed its new provider DVD, animated in South Park style. Altimate worked around a covered wagon complete with “campfires,” and Drive Medical set up shop in a flowing white tent complete with lounge seating and candles. Generally, both providers and manufacturers called the show successful, noting that current political events had not dampened their willingness to do business.

“Medtrade 2003 has demonstrated that the HME industry is moving forward with innovation and resolve to provide quality products and services to their patients and customers,” said Cory Smith, group show director for VNU Expositions, Medtrade organizer. “It is a very exciting time to be in this business, and Medtrade is proud to have attracted the industry’s best to this year’s event.”

Check page 82 in this issue for the 2003 HomeCaring Award recipients!