Competitive Bidding & More on the Docket at Medtrade

After three years in Dallas, Medtrade is hitting the road once more—and heading back to Phoenix.

The show, which will be held March 2-4, was bounced from its latest home by events associated with the FIFA World Cup soccer tournament. The show lands at a time when the home medical equipment (HME) industry faces a new round of competitive bidding and other obstacles. Educational sessions addressing them are sure to be popular, and there are several new and returning features. Here are some of the standouts:

• Tech Talks are back. These popular sessions last year featured 30 minutes of time to interact with technology experts in the field—on the show floor and outside of the educational tracks. This year’s schedule wasn’t available at press time, but 2025’s speakers included representatives from Parachute, Celeritas, Brightree, Valere Health, Synthpop and many others.
• CRT Live is a new feature. In 2025, show organizers introduced a new track focused on complex rehab technology (CRT); this year, they’ve added a showcase for CRT and other mobility-focused products on the show floor. Each company will present interactive sessions to explain trending technologies and demonstrate their equipment.
• AAHomecare will highlight next steps for the industry. In a revamped format, this year’s AAHomecare update on March 3 will feature the chairs of the organization’s special councils for regulatory affairs, payer relations, diabetes and medical supplies—that is, HME colleagues who are taking the lead in shaping policy for 2026 and beyond. AAHomecare also hosts its annual fundraising event, Stand Up for Homecare, on the evening of Tuesday, March 3.
• A new educational track will focus on tech. The “Technology and Innovations” track includes sessions on digital ordering, workflow automation, inventory management systems and interoperability, as well as the impact of artificial intelligence. There will also be a track on competitive bidding, including guidance on entering bids. The track on emerging product categories explores the potential of continuous glucose monitors, enclosed beds, surgical dressings and more. Other tracks include business operations, CRT, managed care and sales and marketing.

Highlighting Breakout Products

Each year, the New Product Pavilion (sponsored by HomeCare) showcases some of the latest products on the market, with standouts from veteran manufacturers and distributors and brand-new innovators. Attendees have the opportunity to vote for their favorite entries on the show floor, and those votes are tallied to name Provider’s Choice winners in Gold, Silver and Bronze categories.

If you’re at the show, look for the electronic voting stations near the pavilion display. If you can’t make it, check back here at homecaremag.com to learn who won.