As the competitive program gears up for a rebid, CMS doesn't exactly make the process appealing.

We all realize federal legislators and regulators seem to think this industry is full of crooks, and that perception colors much of how HME providers are treated by Congress and CMS.

The swine flu scare was a strong reminder for those outside this industry that home care personnel will play a huge role in caring for patients in a flu pandemic.

The ups and downs of this industry probably give you more white knuckles than any roller coaster ever could.

As usual, there is a heaping helping of challenges on HME providers' plate: the oxygen cap, the 9.5 percent cut, the post-cap payment rules, a $50,000.

Accident victim Barbara Esrig recently told her story on NPR's StoryCorps. A devastating car crash broke 164 bones and left her with five cranial paralyses.

On top of the already challenging financial reversals facing HME providers on Jan. 1, the year's first few months, and all the rest of them, are shaping up as some of the most critical in the industry's history.