In Brief

A commission charged with drafting recommendations to reform Ohio’s ailing Medicaid program has recommended that the state implement “selective contracting” for DME. The report recommends the state health agency take advantage of its buying power to implement “smarter purchasing,” said Kamela Yuricich, executive director of the Ohio Association of Medical Equipment Services (OAMES).

In response to a looming financial crisis for the state’s Medicaid program, Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen announced reforms that could stop coverage for up to 323,000 Tennesseans. Although program specifics have not been released, “we’re hoping the changes won’t substantially affect home care,” said Gayla Sasser, executive director of the Tennessee Association for Home Care, “except for the obvious — the loss of over 300,000 beneficiaries.”

At press time, the California Association of Medical Product Suppliers (CAMPS) was preparing for settlement talks in a suit the association filed against the state to fight drastic Medicaid reimbursement cuts. Starting last year, California Medicaid has paid for most DME at no more than 80 percent of Medicare rates. “We’re not going to the [settlement] table because we need to,” said CAMPS Executive Director Bob Achermann. “We want a practical and appropriate resolution. We’re not settling for the sake of settling. We’re going to do whatever it takes.”