FAMES Regroups: Joan Cross Is New Executive Director

BRADENTON, Fla.—With the intent of restructuring the
Florida Association of Medical Equipment Service, Joan Cross, a
veteran home medical equipment provider and former president of
FAMES, has been named executive director of the organization.

“With 23 years in the industry, 17 years on the board of
FAMES and seven years as president or vice president, Ms. Cross
brings a high level of experience and competency to FAMES,”
said Greg Sims of Gator Custom Mobility in Gainesville, the
association’s president.

One of the oldest–and once one of the largest–state
associations, FAMES quietly closed its doors earlier this year,
apparently because of financial difficulties. But long-time
members, believing the number of looming issues affecting the
industry demand a strong state association, have regrouped. The new
board of directors includes Sims; Raul Lopez of Bayshore Dura
Medical in Miami Lakes, immediate past president; Jamie Loper of
Gator Custom Mobility, vice president; John Stelzner of Respironics,
Murrysville, Pa., vice president; and Rene Gaspar from Alma
Respiratory, St. Petersburg, vice president.

“We have just been trying to recoup a little bit and move
offices to Bradenton where I am,” said Cross, who, with her
husband Alan, owns C&C Homecare in Bradenton. She said the
offices are located at C&C temporarily until new office space
can be found. The important thing is, FAMES is now accessible.

“We got our phone number back up and running and our Web
site should be back up [soon],” Cross said, adding that the
group is also catching up on some back bills.

The revamped FAMES will focus on national and state issues, she
said. “[Board members] each have very delineated jobs. Raul
will be heading up our state issues. I will be doing national
issues. Jamie will be the vice president focusing on our
conferences, which we hope to expand. There’s always
something somebody should know. If you are armed with information,
then you have a better chance of getting people to be more
proactive, and that’s what I am looking for.”

Cross said she is aware that some providers were frustrated by
what they perceived as FAMES’ weak efforts to fight
competitive bidding when it was rolled out last year by CMS. She
said membership in the organization declined and, while she
doesn’t know yet how many members remain, it is far fewer
than the high of 200. That latter was achieved when, in 2002, FAMES
spearheaded–and won–a fierce $200,000 legal battle against a
competitive bidding proposal in Florida.

“At the time of the competitive bidding fight in the
state, FAMES was absolutely fabulous,” Cross recalled.
“There was a lot of energy and a lot of people dedicated to
the cause.”

But after last year’s turbulent times, association
membership declined.

“All of a sudden, FAMES was in trouble,” Cross said.
“Did FAMES make some mistakes? They did. But are we going to
correct those and move on and be bigger and better? Absolutely. I
believe that.

“To get the people of Florida to trust us again,
that’s a goal for me,” she added.

The new executive director said she was disappointed that
another state association–the Florida Alliance of Health Care
Services–has just been launched (see story this issue), but she
hopes the two organizations can support each other.

Cross also said that she and her husband have put C&C up for
sale. “I’ve been doing this so long, it’s going
to be like cutting off my arm,” Cross said, noting she and
Alan have co-owned the home oxygen and sleep business for 23 years.
“It’s just one of those things where we made that
decision one day and we know it’s the right one.”

For more information about FAMES, call 407/895-5573.