CMS Details Round One Damage Claims Process

BALTIMORE‑CMS has proposed a process to evaluate damage claims from Round One bid winners whose contracts were terminated when Congress delayed the competitive bidding program after a two-week run in July of 2008.

“Any aggrieved supplier that was awarded a contract in 2008 for the Round One DMEPOS competitive bidding program and believes it has suffered damages is eligible to submit a claim,” the agency said.

Medtrade Expands Focus on Government Relations, Advocacy and Education

ARLINGTON, Va.—The Medtrade shows, starting with the Atlanta show on Oct. 12-15, will be intensifying their focus on advocacy and government affairs and on continuing education and training for professionals in the home medical equipment sector. Over time, the shows will also work to draw more health care professionals and consumers of HME into Medtrade programs.

Engel Gains Support to Close Home Infusion Benefit Gap

The National Home Infusion Association applauded Rep. Eliot Engel, D-N.Y., last week for his support of health care legislation that would close the Medicare home infusion benefit gap.

At a June 24 House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing on health care reform, Engel asked HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius for her support in driving the “Medicare Home Infusion Therapy Coverage Act of 2009” (H.R. 574)--and he got it, according to a statement from the NHIA. 

Medtrade Celebrates 30 Years

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Medtrade, the largest event in the home medical equipment industry, will celebrate its 30th anniversary this year at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. Produced by Nielsen Business Media, Medtrade will take place Oct. 12 - 15.

Thirty years later, Medtrade continues to be the industry's go-to event.

MED Group Promotes Grau

LUBBOCK, Texas — Wayne Grau has been promoted to vice president, supplier relations, for The MED Group, where he will lead the member services organization's group purchasing efforts. Grau has been with MED since November 2008 as sales team leader and had previously worked in the industry as a sales representative, regional manager and in government relations. Prior to that, Grau was an HME provider.

PAP, RAD LCDs Revised

DME MACs A and B notified providers last week that the Positive Airway Pressure and Respiratory Assist Devices local coverage determinations have been revised, effective for dates of service on or after Sept. 1, 2009. The revised information is in the Documentation Section and outlines the use of additional modifiers to indicate that an item is not medically necessary and whether or not a waiver of liability statement (i.e., Advance Beneficiary Notice) is on file.

One Million H1N1 Flu Cases in U.S.

U.S. health officials said last week that as many as 1 million Americans have been infected with the H1N1 flu virus. At a press briefing Friday, the Centers for Disease Control's Dr. Anne Schuchat said the CDC had received reports of over 6,000 new U.S. cases in the past week, more than in any other week since the outbreak began in April. "The key point is that this new infectious disease is not going away," Schuchat told reporters. More than 27,000 confirmed U.S.

Open Door Forum Set Tuesday

BALTIMORE—CMS announced Wednesday it has scheduled the next Home Health, Hospice & DME Open Door Forum for Tuesday, June 30, from 2 to 3 p.m. ET.
 
To attend the meeting in person, an RSVP and security
clearance is required. RSVP no later than 2 p.m. ET, June 26 (Friday). 

CMS Creates Health IT Web Site

BALTIMORE—CMS has set up a new Web site about health information technology as provided for under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
 
The site gives information on health IT infrastructure and standards and details on incentives for the adoption of electronic health records for physicians, hospitals and others. The agency said those incentives will begin in 2011.