WASHINGTON--With a "Dear Colleague" letter sent last week, Sens. Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark., and Pat Roberts, R-Kan., urged the Senate Budget Committee to reject the cuts to home oxygen proposed in President Bush's 2009 budget.
HomeCare News
ATLANTA--Questions were flying across the industry's sleep sector last week after a recent Local Coverage Determination declared that in-home sleep studies "are not covered."
The LCD surprised providers, particularly since CMS' proposed decision memorandum on coverage for CPAP therapy, issued Dec. 14, would allow home sleep testing.
DULUTH, Ga., and WATERLOO, IOWA--Last week The VGM Group and Brightree, an HME business services company, announced an exclusive 10-year partnership that will deliver an array of Internet-centric services to providers.
"Through this partnership, we intend to create a large, virtual VGM/Brightree 'community' that can leverage a wealth of services that no individual provider could ever assemble alone," said VGM President Ron Bendell.
By all accounts, the effects of CMS' proposed revision and expansion of supplier standards for DMEPOS will be far-reaching. In a special series for HomeCare Monday leading up to the March 25 deadline for comments, health care attorney Neil B. Caesar, president of the Health Law Center, Greenville, S.C., will help provide clarification and insight on several provisions of the draft rule. This week, Caesar's comments are directed to proposed Standard No.
MECHANICSBURG, Pa. — A new study by two economics professors at Robert Morris University in Moon Township, Pa., blasts the underpinnings of Medicare's competitive bidding program, saying its implementation will result in "substantial market failure," at least 21,000 lost jobs and prices that spiral up instead of down.
WASHINGTON--In yet another close call for the industry, HME providers can breathe a sigh of relief as, at least for the moment, a recently proposed $500,000 surety bond requirement for Medicare has been taken off the table.
BALTIMORE--During an Open Door Forum on Wednesday, CMS' Sandra Bastinelli once again issued a warning to HME providers: Get on the ball to get accredited--or get left behind.
Those hoping to bid in round two of competitive bidding need to contact an accrediting body and get the process in motion, she said.
BALTIMORE--Home medical equipment providers seeking concrete answers to questions about national competitive bidding got little help from CMS during an Open Door call for home health, hospice and durable medical equipment providers on Wednesday.
HME providers, particularly those in the 10 MSAs in the first round of bidding, have been wondering when CMS would reveal the bid winners.
BOULDER, Colo.--In the first of what will be a family of products, Covidien has introduced a CPAP device with a fully integrated heated humidifier.
COLUMBIA, S.C.--A fourth-quarter widespread prepay review of negative pressure wound therapy claims turned up charge denial rates of 90 percent in Jurisdiction A and 61 percent in Jurisdiction B, according to TriCenturion, the DME PSC for those regions.
In both instances, the reviews were sparked by high 2006 CDRs for claims using HCPCS E2402, 75.5 percent in Jurisdiction A and 83.72 percent in Jurisdiction B.
WASHINGTON--For years, HME has played the role of Internet ostrich, hiding its proverbial head in the sand and hoping the trend of online sales to consumers would somehow magically melt away.
By all accounts, the effects of CMS' proposed revision and expansion of supplier standards for DMEPOS will be far-reaching. In a special series for HomeCare Monday leading up to the March 25 deadline for comments, health care attorney Neil B. Caesar, president of the Health Law Center, Greenville, S.C., will help provide clarification and insight on several provisions of the draft rule. This week, Caesar's comments are directed to an expansion of existing standard No.
WASHINGTON--Propelled by a flurry of potential reimbursement cuts that could imperil providers and beneficiary access alike, the National Coalition for Assistive and Rehab Technology has authorized a two-year study of services, costs and outcomes associated with providing rehab technology, officials said Friday.
WASHINGTON--Last Monday, President Bush released a $3.1 trillion budget plan for fiscal 2009 that, if approved, would cut Medicare and Medicaid spending by $200 billion--with some of those cuts coming from HME.
WASHINGTON--HME champion Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., grilled Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt about cuts to the sector during a Senate Finance Committee hearing Wednesday on President Bush's 2009 budget proposal.
Roberts' remarks condemned proposals that would reduce the current oxygen rental cap from 36 to 13 months and eliminate the first-month purchase option for power wheelchairs.
LAKE FOREST, Calif.--Apria Healthcare Group announced its financial results for the fourth quarter and twelve months ended Dec. 31, 2007, and the numbers are up.
Providing home infusion, respiratory therapy and HME through 550 locations, on Dec. 3, 2007, Apria completed its acquisition of Coram Inc., which the company said strengthened its infusion business and future earnings capacity.
RENO, Nev.--With an eye toward easing travel difficulties and improving compliance, a new firm will specialize in sending sleep apnea equipment and disposable supplies to a CPAP patient's destination.
The Respiratory Equipment Supply Team, or R.E.S.T., is set to open by March 1 in Reno, said co-owner Christopher Depew.
In a special series for HomeCare Monday leading up to the March 25 deadline for comments, health care attorney Neil B. Caesar, president of the Health Law Center, Greenville, S.C., will help provide clarification and insight on CMS' proposed revision and expansion of the DMEPOS supplier standards. This week, Caesar's comments are directed to changes in existing standard No. 11, which deals with methods of contact with Medicare patients:
BALTIMORE--HME providers beware: As of March 1, Medicare claim submissions must contain a National Provider Identification number or an NPI/legacy pair in the required primary provider fields or the claim will be rejected, CMS officials emphasized during a national roundtable call on Wednesday.
And on May 23, all Medicare claims submitted with anything other than an NPI will also be rejected, they said.
ARLINGTON, Va.--Seventy-eight percent of voters would pull the lever for congressional candidates who would strengthen Medicare coverage for power wheelchairs, oxygen devices, hospitals beds and other DME and services, according to a new survey.