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

    What Medicare Law?

    A majority of Americans over age 65 do not understand Medicare reform, a Kaiser Family Foundation survey reports. Further, the survey shows 68 percent of seniors, or about 7 in 10, do not know that the new prescription drug law was passed by Congress and signed into law in December. For breaking news, go to www.homecaremonday.com, the electronic news service of the home medical equipment industry.

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  • Legislation & Regulation

    Accreditation Summit Draws a Crowd

    The American Association for Homecare’s “Accreditation Summit” at Medtrade Spring featured representatives from ACHC, CHAP and JCAHO. For information on how to begin the accreditation process or how to choose an accrediting organization, see “Mandatory Accreditation” by Jerold S. Cohen, president, Caesar Cohen Ltd. (HomeCare, February 2004) and “Getting Accredited and Doing It Now” by Tom Caesar, president, ACHC (HomeCare, March 2004). You can contact the following accrediting bodies directly or visit their Web sites at: Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC), 919/785-1214, www.achc.org; Community Health Accreditation Program (CHAP), 609/463-CHAP; Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, 630/792-5000, www.jcaho.org.

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  • Providers

    AHIP Announces New Name, Agenda

    The recently merged American Association of Health Plans-Health Insurance Association of America has announced a new name, America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), and released an updated policy agenda. The group said it will promote access to affordable, quality health care through measures intended to parlay medical research into treatments and to make health payments more commensurate with health care performance. AHIP’s members provide health insurance to more than 200 million people. For breaking news, go to www.homecaremonday.com, the electronic news service of the home medical equipment industry.

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  • Providers

    View from the Top

    2003’s Top Providers Gather Strength to Keep Climbing   As HME ascends the face of a politically insecure future, revenues and new market potentials remain strong. In 2003, most companies, large and small, reported peak sales, but as Washington winds up to cut reimbursements more deeply, the positive outlook is not universal. HME businesses will have to retrain themselves, like finely tuned athletes, to beat credibility issues on Capitol Hill and deal with new requirements mandated by the Medicare Modernization Act. But the numbers in HomeCare‘s Top Companies listings speak for themselves. The market is out there. The climb may be harrowing — but that much more worthwhile — in the years ahead.   Winning in the Field, Losing on the Hill   By Tom...

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  • CMS/Medicare

    Scully: Educate Congress, CMS To Avoid Another Hit in 2005

    Rancho Bernardo, Calif. Speaking at the American Association for Homecare’s Leadership Conference Feb. 27, Tom Scully, former administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, told attendees the road ahead could be tough for HME. But, he said, with a focused message to Congress and an educational effort directed at CMS, the industry should be able to avoid “a double-whammy” when lawmakers tackle the nation’s budget deficit. “I know you have had a little bit of a rough year, and I think I’m probably about as popular with this group as Ralph Nader would be at a Corvair convention,” quipped Scully, who worked to get Medicare reform through Congress. “The bill passed, and despite a lot of people’s views that they’re going to get...

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  • Providers

    Providers Support PWC Pre-Approval Process

    Baltimore At a March 3 Open Door Forum on Medicare’s power wheelchair benefit, several mobility providers supported an idea proposed to CMS: a pre-approval process for K0011 claims. One provider advised the agency to “institute a 100-percent, pre-delivery approval of the equipment before the dealer purchases it, delivers it and has to fight you for it. If it’s a legitimate, valid claim, tell us up front. Nobody wants to process a claim that’s not good.” For breaking news, go to www.homecaremonday.com, the electronic news service of the home medical equipment industry.

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  • Providers

    Rotech Signs On with Gentiva Health Services

    Orlando, Fla. Last month, Rotech Healthcare signed an agreement with Melville, N.Y.-based Gentiva Health Services, the nation’s largest home health nursing company, to supply respiratory therapy and DME services to patients. Rotech now has primary preferred provider arrangements in 23 states and shared preferred arrangements in 10 states through Gentiva’s CareCentrix network, which provides managed care organizations with home care services including traditional home nursing, chronic and acute infusion therapies and DME and respiratory equipment. Rotech has also signed a three-year primary preferred provider agreement with Gentiva to provide CPAP devices and related OSA products for CareCentrix patients. Phillip L. Carter, Rotech’s president and CEO, said the company’s annual revenue from these contracts “could well be greater than $25 million as we enter 2005,” and...

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  • HME Products

    Respiratory and Oxygen Products

    CHAD Therapeutics/Oxygen Therapeutic Device Sage S.M.A.R.T. Call 800/423-8870. Web site: www.sagedevice.com Circle 448 or visit www.homecaremag.com for company information. Invacare Corp./Oxygen Filling System HomeFill II Call 800/333-6900. Web site: www.invacare.com Circle 444 or visit www.homecaremag.com for company information. Respironics/Full Face Mask ComfortFull Call 800/345-6443. Web site: www.respironics.com Circle 442 or visit www.homecaremag.com for company information. ResMed/Accessory Module ResLink Call 800/424-0737. Web site: www.resmed.com Circle 440 or visit www.homecaremag.com for company information. Sunrise Medical/Bi-Level CPAP DeVilbiss 9055D RPM Call 800/333-4000. Web site: www.sunrisemedical.com Circle 437 or visit www.homecaremag.com for company information. Cramer Decker Medical/Oxygen Regulator Brass Core Mini-Regulator Call 877/222-0200. Web site: www.cramerdeckermedical.com Circle 434 or visit www.homecaremag.com for company information. SeQual Technologies/Bedside Oxygen Concentrator IntegraSeven Call 800/826-4610. Web site: www.sequal.com Circle 435 or visit www.homecaremag.com...

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  • HME Products

    New Products

    Homecare Products/Telescoping Ramp Platform 5 Call 800/451-1903. Web site: www.homecareproducts.com Circle 499 or visit www.homecaremag.com for company information. Polymap Wireless/Medical Data Transmitter The Polytel System Call 520/747-1811. Web site: www.polymap.net Circle 496 or visit www.homecaremag.com for company information. Drive Medical-Wenzelite/Posterior Safety Roller Nimbo Call 800/706-9255. Web site: www.drivemedical.com Circle 488 or visit www.homecaremag.com for company information. The Roho Group/Wheelchair Back Support JetStream Pro Call 800/851-3449. Web site: www.therohogroup.com Circle 482 or visit www.homecaremag.com for company information. Supracor/Shower Cushion Stimulite Call 800/787-7226. Web site: www.supracor.com Circle 487 or visit www.homecaremag.com for company information. Harmar Mobility/Wheelchair Carrier Tilt ‘N’ Tote Call 800/833-0478. Web site: www.harmar.com Circle 497 or visit www.homecaremag.com for company information. Graham-Field Health Products/Hand Grip Ortho-Ease Call 800/347-5678. Web site: www.grahamfield.com Circle 489 or visit...

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  • Legislation & Regulation

    Task Force to Address NSC Activity

    The Health Law Center announced at Medtrade Spring in Las Vegas that it will form a task force to address the problems facing HME providers because of “expanded activity” by the National Supplier Clearinghouse in assigning and managing provider supplier numbers. “The NSC has commenced an unprecedented level of provider scrutiny,” according to Neil B. Caesar, president of the Greenville, S.C., law practice. “Unfortunately, the NSC’s internal operating systems do not appear ready to handle this volume of new activity. The NSC is ignoring its own regulations, denying suppliers their legal rights and holding suppliers accountable for a set of rules that are not well-communicated and are applied inconsistently among the NSC’s own site inspectors.” Caesar said task force members will review the NSC’s failure...

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