Author

HomeCare Staff

HomeCare staff Meg Herndon and Hannah Wolfson were joined by writers Kristin Easterling and Gail Short to tell these stories. Tamara Davie’s photo on page 32 was taken by Ursula Hope Photography.

  • CMS/Medicare

    CMS May Ease Harris Country K0011 Reviews

    The government’s tight scrutiny of K0011 claims in Harris County (Houston), Texas, could ease, according to Steve McAdoo, associate regional administrator for the Division of Medicare Financial Management in CMS’ Dallas regional office. “We are in discussions with Palmetto GBA (Region C DMERC) to see whether or not we feel comfortable doing a modification in the level of review going on,” McAdoo said at a CMS June 23 Home Health, Hospice and DME Open Door Forum. “There could be some changes in the not-too-distant future.” A strict 100-percent review for all power wheelchair claims submitted in the Texas county has remained in effect since last September, when CMS and the OIG launched Operation Wheeler Dealer in response to a sharp rise in power wheelchair expenditures...

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  • HME Products

    New Products

    Adaptive Engineering Lab/Seat Cushions Flo-Tech Call 800/327-6080. Web site: www.aelseating.com Circle 491 or visit www.homecaremag.com for company information. Fisher & Paykel Healthcare/Full Face Mask HC431 Call 800/446-3908. Web site: www.fphcare.com Circle 480 or visit www.homecaremag.com for company information. Innovation In Motion/Power Chair X4- Extreme 4×4 All Terrain Call 800/327-0681. Web site: www.vestil.com/wc Circle 489 or visit www.homecaremag.com for company information. Discount Carts & Racks/Cylinder Rack Horizontal Stacker DHR and DHC Call 888/327-5393. Web site: www.discoutncarts.com Circle 494 or visit www.homecaremag.com for company information. Graham-Field Health Products/Wheelchair Everest & Jennings Vista IC Call 800/347-5678. Web site: www.gramhamfield.com Circle 482 or visit www.homecaremag.com for company information. Uplift Technologies/Lifting Cushion UpEasy Power Call 800/387-0896. Web site: www.upeasy.com Circle 493 or visit www.homecaremag.com for company information. Medline Industries/Home Care...

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  • Software

    Editor’s Inbox

    In answer to requests from both government officials and industry stakeholders, the National Supplier Clearinghouse has drafted new written guidance for

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  • Legislation & Regulation

    AAHomecare Members Fight MMA’s Reimbursement Changes

    As Washington rushed to prepare for former president Ronald Reagan’s funeral, 200 industry stakeholders fanned out over Capitol Hill to drive the home care message. During the American Association for Homecare’s Legislative Conference, held June 7-9, HME providers and manufacturers skirted hastily erected security fencing and crowd-control rails to keep appointments with 165 members of Congress and their legislative aides. Chief topics of discussion with the federal representatives were the DME reimbursement cuts and revised pricing for inhalation drugs mandated under the Medicare Modernization Act (MMA). In meetings with the legislative aides for Georgia Sens. Zell Miller and Saxby Chambliss, Dave Hunter of Air Products Healthcare laid out a case against the 2005 transition to an ASP (average sales price) plus-6-percent pricing system for Part...

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  • Software

    Industry Calendar

    JULY 12-13 Virginia Association of Durable Medical Equipment Companies Annual Summer Conference and Trade ShowVirginia Beach, Va.804/285-4431www.vadmec.org

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  • Legislation & Regulation

    Hobson, Ford Call for Repeal of Reimbursement Cuts

    Washington Reps. David Hobson, R-Ohio, and Harold Ford Jr., D-Tenn., have introduced a bill to rescind the Medicare reimbursement cuts scheduled for January 2005. Set out in the Medicare Modernization Act (MMA), the cuts align pricing of five DME categories — including oxygen and wheelchairs — with rates based on Federal Employee Health Benefits Plans (FEHBP) median pricing, and an Office of Inspector General (OIG) report on oxygen due out later this summer. After a lobbying day in June during the American Association for Homecare’s Legislative Conference, H.R. 4491 picked up nine co-sponsors, including Rep. Roy Blunt, R-Mont., the Majority Whip; Rep. Sherwood Boehlert, R-N.Y.; Rep. Jeb Bradley, R-N.H.; Rep. Jim Cooper, D-Tenn.; Rep. Virgil Goode, R-Va.; Rep. Steven LaTourette, R-Ohio; Rep. Jim Nussle, R-Iowa;...

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  • HME Products

    CMS Contracts Research Firm to Prep For DME Competitive Bidding

    Baltimore Last month, CMS announced it has awarded a contract to the North Carolina-based Research Triangle Institute (RTI) to help launch the massive DME competitive bidding program called for under the Medicare Modernization Act (MMA). According to MMA, competitive bidding is slated to begin in 2007 in the nation’s top 10 metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) and expand to the top 80 MSAs in 2009, after which the program could be implemented nationwide. The contractor is to assist CMS in developing options and recommendations “on effective strategies and designs” for implementing the national program, and will consult with CMS in preparing for this new payment methodology for DME. RTI helped CMS evaluate DME competitive bidding demonstration projects in Polk County, Fla., and San Antonio, Texas, between...

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