AAHomecare and Medtrade held the first Consumer Advocacy Day, aimed at getting consumers involved in self-advocacy with policymakers.

"Who's watching the DMEPOS industry?" was one of the big questions at a Medtrade session called "Inside the Beltway."

Rep. Kendrick Meek, D-Fla., introduced a bill to repeal DMEPOS competitive bidding, offering a series of minor cuts and a Consumer Price Index freeze as a "pay for" instead.

Days after the CMS Sept. 30 deadline for mandatory DMEPOS accreditation, HME providers were still in an uproar, seeking an explanation as to why some pharmacies apparently did not have to

HHS' Office of Inspector General released its 2010 work plan Oct. 1, and as far as DME is concerned, it sounds like it could be a busy year.

As part of HomeCare's 2009 Salary & Benefits Survey, we also asked participating providers specific questions about how they pay their sales reps, when they pay commissions, whether reps deliver/troubleshoot equipment and whether tough industry conditions had affected their commission structures.

With more than 500 exhibitors and 120 educational sessions during the industry's biggest trade show, Medtrade 2009 promises to be a can't-miss event for HME professionals.

Here's a sample of the products you'll see at this year's show.