WASHINGTON--At the June 2 American Association for
Homecare’s Legislative Conference, Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas,
said he hoped any health care reform legislation put together by
Congress would include Medicare anti-fraud initiatives.
HomeCare News
GENEVA, Switzerland--H1N1, commonly known as the swine flu, is now considered a global pandemic by the World Health Organization. Nearly 30,000 cases and 144 deaths have been reported worldwide, causing WHO Director-General Dr. Margaret Chan today to declare the first global flu epidemic in 41 years.
RICHMOND, Va.--The 8.3 million confidential health records that
were allegedly stolen when hackers got into Virginia's Department
of Health Professions Web site could still be at risk. And the
hackers are still at large.
WASHINGTON--Reps. Mike Ross, D-Ark., and Kendrick Meek, D-Fla.,
have sent a sign-on letter to their colleagues requesting that
reform of the Medicare home oxygen benefit be included in health
care reform legislation this year.
Addressed to the leaders of key committees in the House of
Representatives, the letter also urges no further cuts to oxygen
therapy.
FARGO, N.D.--According to a notice from Noridian Administrative
Services, the Jurisdiction D DME MAC has been monitoring claims for
K0823 power wheelchairs, and the outcome on documentation for those
claims isn’t so good.
As a result of the monitoring, NAS said it had “found the
documentation submitted is insufficient to support even the basic
coverage criteria for a power mobility device.”
WASHINGTON — HME stakeholders went to Washington last week with a message. Lots of messages, in fact.
BALTIMORE — Industry representatives said they left Thursday's meeting of the Program Advisory and Oversight Committee cautiously optimistic that their concerns about the myriad issues surrounding national competitive bidding had been heard.
There was, however, no doubt that CMS is intent on implementing the project, they said.
WASHINGTON — With Congress scrambling to put together health care reform — a draft bill circulated Friday by Massachusetts Democrat Sen. Edward Kennedy's health committee would guarantee all Americans health insurance — stakeholders are uncertain how HME will be treated as the reform takes shape.
WASHINGTON — At the same time AAHomecare was on Capitol Hill last week, so was the AARP.
PITTSBURGH — Tammy Zelenko, president and CEO of Bridgeville, Pa.-based AdvaCare Home Services, was voted in as president of the Pennsylvania Association of Medical Suppliers at the state association's annual convention in April.
NEW YORK — Joseph Baker has been hired as president of the Medicare Rights Center, a national nonprofit consumer organization that works on access to health care for older adults and people with disabilities. Baker served as a senior policy advisor in the administrations of New York Govs.
SANDWICH, Mass. — The Cape Medical Supply team has won the 2009 SCORE "Build a Better Mousetrap" award from the Sandwich, Mass., Chamber of Commerce. Founded in 1977, the company has added stores in Plymouth, Falmouth and most recently Hyannis, Mass.
CUYAHOGA FALLS, Ohio — With more than 125 physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, nurses and social workers in attendance, Integrated Medical themed its annual educational seminar for area medical staff around the military and veterans.
WASHINGTON — As usual, HME providers, manufacturers and speakers attending the American Association for Homecare's Legislative Conference last week had plenty of subjects to talk about, and plenty of opinions:
WASHINGTON — The American Association for Homecare has elected a new slate of officers for 2009-2010. Voted in during the association's annual Legislative Conference Tuesday, new officers are:
WASHINGTON--Even if you aren’t able to participate in the
American Association for Homecare’s Legislative Conference,
you can still make your voice heard.
WASHINGTON--On May 29, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary
Kathleen Sebelius announced the appointment of Cindy Mann, director
of the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families, as
director of the Center for Medicaid and State Operations, part of
the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
BALTIMORE — In an email sent Friday morning, CMS announced the next steps in its implementation of the Round One rebid of competitive bidding, including the general timeline for opening the bid window in the fall of this year.
According to the notice, the rebid will occur in the following MSAs (the same as the first Round One with the exclusion of Puerto Rico):
ATLANTA — Cara Bachenheimer is swift to identify the top three issues for the home medical equipment industry: “Competitive bidding.”
BALTIMORE — CMS has finalized the agenda for the first meeting of its new Program Advisory and Oversight Committee, established to advise the agency on competitive bidding.