HomeCare News

LAS VEGAS—Vanna Medical Vans of West Fargo, North Dakota recently joined a growing list of first-time exhibitors aiming to test the home medical equipment (HME) waters at Medtrade.  

With a booth large enough to show off its mobile medical unit (MMU) van, Ben Gleason, cofounder and CEO will be at Medtrade to discuss possibilities with HME providers. Vanna began as a manufacturer of camper vans, designed to be fully off-grid and operational in all four seasons.

DALLAS – The United States Medical Compression Alliance (USMCA) is working with Medtrade to offer additional information about the Lymphedema Treatment Act and what it means for the home medical equipment (HME) industry. USMCA represents the five main compression manufacturers: medi USA, Essity (parent company of the Jobst brand), Juzo, Lohmann & Rauscher and Sigvaris.

DALLAS—Medtrade attendees looking for technology solutions now have a new option on the Medtrade 2024 Expo floor. The Technology Stage (back right of the show floor) will feature 30-minute interactive presentations to provide attendees with a comprehensive overview of various tech solutions. Tech-related exhibitors will provide live, half-hour presentations designed to inform and educate.

ARLINGTON, Virginia—The American Association for Homecare (AAHomecare) announced it will launch its "WHY Campaign" at Medtrade. The campaign, centered around the question "What's your WHY for being in the HME Industry?", aims to celebrate the passion and dedication of the home medical equipment (HME) community while highlighting the value of HME and the importance of membership in AAHomecare to enhance advocacy efforts.

WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Tom Carper (D-DE), John Cornyn (R-TX), Mark Warner (D-VA), Tim Scott (R-SC) and Bob Menendez (D-NJ), members of the Senate Duals Working Group, introduced the Delivering Unified Access to Lifesaving Services (DUALS) Act of 2024 to improve coverage for individuals jointly enrolled in Medicare and Medicaid, also known as dual eligibles.

The DUALS Act of 2024:

STAMFORD, Connecticut—Wheel It Forward, a volunteer-run community library that lends out and accepts donations of durable medical equipment (DME), announced the launch of its newest initiative: the GotDME National Directory (GotDME.org).

STEVENS POINT, Wisconsin—Ki Mobility’s Axiom line of wheelchair seat cushions and backs are now available in pediatric sizes. The new series, Axiom for Kids, takes into account the unique positioning needs of growing children who use wheelchairs, the manufacturer said in a March 11 announcement.

RICHMOND, Virginia—The cost of long-term care services increased across all provider types and increased more substantially for certain settings, according to Genworth’s Cost of Care Survey 2023. The most substantial cost increases occurred in home health aide and homemaker services costs. Inflation and the shortage of skilled care workers are the core drivers of increases in the costs of care services.

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina—Family First Home Health Care, Inc. (Family First), a home health care agency located in Gastonia, North Carolina, (now d/b/a Gaston Piedmont Health Care Inc.), and its owner Marion James have agreed to collectively pay $600,000 to resolve allegations that they knowingly violated the Federal and North Carolina False Claims Acts from Jan. 1, 2015, through Jan. 9, 2020, by submitting thousands of fraudulent claims to Medicaid for reimbursement, announced Dena J.

SAN DIEGO—Anthony Duane Bell Sr. and his son, Anthony Duane Bell Jr., were sentenced in federal court to 65 months and 12 months and one day, respectively, for their roles in fraudulently receiving more than $21 million in Medicare payments and lying to cover it up.  

On Friday, March 8 the National Coalition for Assistive & Rehab Technology (NCART) announced it will launch a new newsletter theme along with additional news on how it plans to improve communication. The newsletter will move from the end to the beginning of the month. It will also send out a bi-weekly update, scheduled to begin Wednesday, March 20. 

NCART also said it added a new marketing resource, Barry Steelman. 

WASHINGTON—During a Ways & Means Committee hearing that examined opportunities and challenges in enhancing access to care in patients’ homes and modernizing care in rural and underserved communities, U.S. Rep.

WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), member of the Senate Committee on Aging, and U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), chair of the Senate Committee on Aging, introduced the Strategic Plan for Aging Act, a landmark bill that would create a new, nationwide grant program under the Older Americans Act (OAA) to incentivize and support states’ efforts to create their own strategic plans for aging.

The Private Equity Stakeholder Project (PESP) has released its latest report, providing an in-depth analysis of private equity dealmaking in the health care sector throughout 2023.

STRONGSVILLE, Ohio—Repair Authority has selected Carl Kozlowski, a health care industry veteran, as its new chief executive officer, replacing the retiring Jesse Keirn. Kozlowski brings nearly 40 years of experience in the health care industry, including most recently as CEO of Cardiothoracic & Surgical Associates.

BOSTON—Brownmed, a provider of health care solutions, announced the appointment of Chris Kissane as its new President, effective immediately. With more than 20 years of sales leadership experience, Kissane brings expertise and a demonstrated history of generating revenue for his previous companies.

WASHINTON and ALEXANDRIA, Virginia—Following a series of meetings with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and Members of Congress on efforts to improve and protect hospice program integrity, four national hospice organizations—LeadingAge, the National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC), the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO)

TAMPA, Florida—Empath Health, a health care organization dedicated to providing care to individuals facing serious illness and grief, announced a decision to sell multiple properties as part of a broader initiative to reinvest in the community, enhance programming and support colleagues.

SAN DIEGO—ResMed, a provider of digital health and cloud-connected medical devices that transform care for people with sleep apnea and other chronic respiratory diseases, announced the U.S. launch of the AirFit F40, an ultra-compact, full-face mask offering the comfort of smaller masks without sacrificing performance to help improve sleep apnea therapy compliance.

ROSEVILLE, California—Always Best Care Senior Services, a senior care franchise system in the United States, announced the opening of its second location in Alberta, Canada. Always Best Care of Edmonton East is now providing senior care services throughout Edmonton, Sherwood Park and surrounding areas. The new business is owned by a local family, Gladys Muwhen, Owen Fregene and Igho Muwhen.