WASHINGTON--Medicaid enrollment declined for the first time in nearly a decade, but only by a half-percent, according to a survey released last week by the Kaiser Family Foundation's Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured.
However, state Medicare directors in 42 states said they expected to expand the coverage to the uninsured next year.
DALLAS--In a move described by a VGM Group executive as expected but discouraging, the government has filed a motion to dismiss a lawsuit that challenges the constitutionality of competitive bidding. But the Waterloo, Iowa-based buying group says a second suit is on the way.
WASHINGTON--The American Association for Homecare submitted comments on Friday calling on CMS to revise its proposed surety bond rule to target those most likely to pose risks to Medicare.
WASHINGTON--The issue is not what will happen to complex rehab if it remains in competitive bidding, according to Sharon Hildebrandt, it's what will happen to Medicare beneficiaries who need complex rehab.
BALTIMORE--CMS is likely to get an earful at an Oct. 11 meeting of the Program Advisory and Oversight Committee--its first since Spring 2006--which will focus on the first round of national competitive bidding.
ORLANDO, Fla.--The doors to Medtrade 2007--and, attendees hope, to some answers on doing business in HME's uncertain future--open tomorrow at the Orange County Convention Center.
Some 14,000 industry stakeholders are expected to attend the annual trade expo, which runs Tuesday through Thursday, according to Kevin Bird, group show director-healthcare, for Medtrade producers Nielsen Business Media.
"We will end up with around 750 exhibiting companies for the year," he added.
ORLANDO, Fla.--While the "Closed" sign may be on the bid window for the first round of competitive bidding, it is not a closed issue. With CMS set to add 70 cities in the program's 2009 second round, it is likely that the subject will be at the top of the list for providers attending Medtrade as they work to figure out how to keep their businesses viable.
For information on competitive bidding, its effects and strategies to survive, Medtrade will offer the following sessions:
WASHINGTON--The massive backlog of Social Security disability benefit cases could soon begin shrinking nationwide now that the "quick disability determination" process has been extended to all state disability determination services.
The agency issued a final regulation last month extending the QDD process to all states after successfully testing it in New England. It will be gradually implemented over the next several months, agency officials said.
TriCenturion Expands K0823 Probe; No Easy Button Here
COLUMBIA, S.C.--TriCenturion announced last week that it will
continue a widespread pre-payment review of K0823 power wheelchairs
after a probe review showed sky-high denial rates of 87.51 percent
for Jurisdiction A and 93.36 percent for Jurisdiction B. (See
HomeCare Monday, June 11.)
BALTIMORE--Less than two days remain for HME providers to submit bids for the first round of CMS' DMEPOS competitive bidding project--and this time there's no last-minute extension in sight, according to industry stakeholders.
Bids must be submitted electronically through the Competitive Bidding Submission System by 9 p.m. ET tomorrow. Bidders must also submit a variety of hard copy documents, including financial statements, postmarked by the Sept. 25 deadline.
BALTIMORE — CMS is conducting a supplier survey to satisfy a requirement of the Medicare Modernization Act that mandates an evaluation of the DMEPOS competitive bidding program.
Administered by CMS contractor Abt Associates and endorsed by the American Association for Respiratory Care, the survey is one of two currently underway. The second, CMS said, is a beneficiary survey.
ATLANTA--CMS closed down its new Internet registry of National Provider Identification numbers last week because of "recent instability," the agency said.
The registry, which was developed as a resource to providers submitting Medicare claims, is expected to be back in operation sometime this week, CMS said in a statement. The agency had initially announced that it would take down the NPI Registry for one day only on Sept. 18. Friday's announcement extended the period.
HOUSTON--A new Internet auction site that links buyers and sellers of sleep apnea equipment went live Sept. 4.
WASHINGTON--On Sept. 12, Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, introduced legislation that would amend the False Claims Act to make it easier for whistleblowers to bring lawsuits.
Called the False Claims Correction Act of 2007, Grassley said the legislation is in response to recent court decisions that threaten to limit Congress' 1986 update of the False Claims Act, which has recovered $20 billion for the government.
ATLANTA--The new Internet registry of National Provider Identification numbers contains a potential landmine, warned Chris Rice, founder of provider forum competingbid.com, last week.
Activated Sept. 4 after months of preparation, the National Plan and Provider Enumeration System database allows health care providers to locate their referral sources' NPI numbers, necessary for submitting compliant claims to Medicare.
BALTIMORE--In a notice sent late Friday, CMS reminded providers participating in the first round of competitive bidding that all bids are due by 9 p.m. on Sept. 25.
"We urge all bidders to review carefully all information submitted in the Competitive Bid Submission System and all required hard copy documentation to be sure it is accurate and complete," the notice said.
WASHINGTON--The SBA Office of Advocacy has filed a comment letter with CMS urging the agency to improve its analysis of a proposed rule that would require DME suppliers to obtain a $65,000 surety bond. (See HomeCare Monday, July 30.)
BALTIMORE--CMS has announced that the next meeting of the Program Advisory and Oversight Committee will be held Oct. 11 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Hilton Pikesville Hotel in Baltimore.
While they have not yet been notified about the meeting agenda, according to some PAOC members, they are hopeful discussion could center around issues related to the first round of competitive bidding, which is set to close Sept. 25.
WASHINGTON--Hoping to put a face on complex rehab and drum up support for a bill that would exempt it from competitive bidding, the National Coalition for Assistive Rehab Technology will hold a Capitol Hill press conference next week featuring consumers who use the equipment.
The event falls on Sept. 25, the same day the bid window closes for the initial round of CMS' DMEPOS competitive bidding program. The press conference will be held at 11 a.m. in the Rayburn Health Building.
WATERLOO, Iowa--On Friday, VGM Group announced it has named Jeff D. Hassman as COO, responsible for the day-to-day activities of the company's operating divisions. He will report directly to Van Miller, CEO, board chairman and founder.
Hassman, 37, has been working with VGM for more than two years on a variety of projects, according to the member services group. Prior to joining VGM, he worked for A.T. Kearney, an international business consulting firm.
