PITTSBURGH--A recent report from merger-and-acquisition specialist The Braff Group reflects the effects of both competitive bidding and the Deficit Reduction Act's 36-month oxygen rental cap on the HME market.
HomeCare News
BALTIIMORE--Last week, CMS announced details of a new project encouraging Medicare beneficiaries to take advantage of Internet-based resources to track health care services and communicate with their providers.
WASHINGTON — The HME industry's cries may not have stymied competitive bidding, but at least Congress is listening.
The House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee has scheduled a hearing on the Medicare bidding program tomorrow, sending advocates into high gear urging stakeholders to contact their representatives immediately to air their views.
WASHINGTON--Complex rehab stakeholders got a big boost last week when three legislators introduced a Senate companion to H.R. 2231, the House complex rehab carve-out bill.
The Medicare Access to Complex Rehabilitation and Assistive Technology Act of 2008, S. 2931, was introduced by Sens. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., and Tim Johnson, D-S.D. Like its House counterpart, the bill would exempt complex rehab from competitive bidding.
EXETER, Pa.--A statement issued Thursday by Pride Mobility Products Corp. said the manufacturer has uncovered potential problems in the Riverside, Calif., competitive bidding area and calls on Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt to launch a full investigation into the matter.
BALTIMORE--On Tuesday, May 13, CMS will hold a National Provider Training Call to give an overview of Medicare's DMEPOS competitive bidding program.
According to a notice from the agency, the national education call, which will run from 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. ET, is being conducted for Medicare fee-for-service providers and will address “some of the situations you may encounter as the program is implemented July 1, 2008.”
In Atlanta April 17 during a stop on the VGM Group's National Competitive Bidding Seminar tour, VGM President Ron Bendell took time out for a Q&A with HomeCare Monday, and he had some advice for providers: Pay attention to costs, get your business in order--and take heart in the industry's future.
BALTIMORE--CMS, in collaboration with the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS), has requested that on Wednesday, May 7, providers billing Medicare should submit claims with the NPI only in all provider identifier fields for which they have been using NPI/legacy pairs.
Apria Healthcare Group, Lake Forest, Calif., reported that for the first quarter ended March 31, revenue grew by 35.1 percent to $528 million from $390.8 million in the first quarter of 2007. First quarter net income was $20.8 million, which was flat compared to the first quarter of 2007.
WASHINGTON--Competitive bidding numbers gleaned from CMS officials at a briefing for House of Representatives staff ricocheted around the country last week, and while much of the data was confusing, one thing was clear: Nearly 63 percent of the bids in round one were disqualified.
Legislative staffers at the House briefing on Tuesday reported CMS revealed that of the 1,005 unique bidders in round one, 630 were disqualified due to insufficient applications.
WASHINGTON--After months of frustration in their battle for a complex rehab carve-out from competitive bidding, stakeholders left Washington, D.C., last week feeling cautiously optimistic following a successful call-in effort to legislators, a warm reception to their visits on Capitol Hill and the promise of a companion bill to H.R. 2231.
ATLANTA--A new trade show and expo for the HME industry will make its debut next spring.
Launched by Atlanta-based Access Business Media, whose principals include three former Medtrade show directors, the HME Exposition & Conference will be held April 21-23, 2009, at the Baltimore Convention Center in Baltimore, Md.
ATLANTA--According to HME industry-watchers, one of the most surprising circumstances that has come to light in round one of competitive bidding is the situation in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
AMARILLO, Texas--While legislative support appears to be growing for a suspension of round one of competitive bidding, it may take legal recourse for HME providers who were disqualified to get their cases heard, according to industry attorney Jeffrey S. Baird.
EXETER, Pa.--Dan Meuser, president of Pride Mobility Products, lost his bid for the Republican nomination in Pennsylvania's 10th Congressional District in the state's April 22 primary.
MIAMI — Complaints concerning the problems with competitive bidding have been ringing from the rafters recently, but a release from national disaster watchdog the Disaster Accountability Project last week is questioning the program's outcomes from a different perspective — that of disaster preparedness.
ATLANTA--In an effort to halt the runaway train that is competitive bidding, legislators in increasing numbers are appealing to key congressional committee members, the Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to put the brakes on before proceeding to round two of the project.
BALTIMORE--Despite recent calls for more and better understanding from both CMS and those working in HME, an accreditation teleconference last week proved that both sides have a way to go.
WASHINTGON--The National Registry of Rehabilitation Technology Suppliers and the National Coalition for Assistive and Rehab Technology are headed to Capitol Hill this week to ask Congress to exempt complex rehab from national competitive bidding.
"The message is clear,” said Simon Margolis, executive director of NRRTS. "We need the support of every member of Congress to assure that consumers continue to get the quality rehab products and services they require.”
In a Q&A with HomeCare Monday last week, Nielsen Business Media’s Joe Randall outlined his plans to keep Medtrade and Medtrade Spring ahead of the HME industry’s challenges. “I am simply frustrated with all the doom and gloom and negativity surrounding our industry,” said Randall, who, in addition to the home health care shows, heads a host of publications and events as senior vice president of Nielsen's Building Design Group.