HomeCare News

WASHINGTON—The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued its 2024 Home Health Prospective Payment System Rate Update final rule on Nov. 1, landing on more moderate cuts than initially proposed but still enacting rate reductions beginning in 2025 that would present “serious concerns for the home health community,” according to the National Association for Homecare and Hospice.

DALLAS—Axxess and OnePoint Patient Care announced the integration of Axxess Hospice and OnePoint Patient Care's Pharmacy Benefit Management platform. Axxess said the integration will help alleviate administrative burdens, increase nurse satisfaction, improve retention rates and provide better patient outcomes. 

FORT WORTH, Texas—VERTESS, a health care mergers and acquisitions (M&A) advisory firm, announced the closing of five major health care transactions in Quarter 3 (Q3) 2023 with a combined total transaction value of $75 million. The five transactions were in various health care verticals. The headwinds faced earlier in the year due to global and domestic economic pressures are clearing and signs for a profitable Q4 and 2024 are strong, VERTESS said.

DALLAS—Havencrest Capital Management (Havencrest), a Dallas-based health care private equity firm, announced the third acquisition under its Avid Health at Home (Avid) platform: Independence 4 Seniors (I4S), a Chicago-area homecare provider.

WASHINGTON—The Justice Department announced charges against a former executive at HealthSun Health Plans Inc. (HealthSun)—a Medicare Advantage organization that operates Medicare Advantage plans in South Florida—for her role in a multimillion-dollar Medicare fraud scheme. 

ASHEVILLE, North Carolina—Aeroflow Healthcare, a nationwide provider of durable medical equipment through insurance, celebrated a state legislation change that it actively advocated for with the passing of California’s AB 1203.

ATLANTA—TZMO USA announced that Christian DePhilippis and Sam Keller have joined their growing Seni sales team. DePhilippis has experience promoting advanced wound care products to hospitals, long-term care communities, home health agencies, hospice agencies and physician offices. DePhilippis will oversee the Southern California market.

NORTH HAVEN, Connecticut—Holly Haringa has joined Corcoran Consulting Group LLC as director of operations and consultant. She oversees the group’s marketing efforts, client and consultant coordination and administrative support functions. Additionally, Haringa will collaborate with Corcoran team members and support the goals of its homecare agency clients.
 

MOORESTOWN, New Jersey—David Baiada, CEO of BAYADA Home Health Care, has been elected to lead the board of directors of The Partnership for Quality Home Healthcare (PQHH). Baiada is assuming this role after serving as treasurer. BAYADA is a founding member of the partnership and an advocate for home health and home care patient populations.

VENICE, Florida—LiveCare, Inc. (OTC:LVCE), a telehealth company, announced the expansion of its services into Texas and Ohio, a key development in its state expansion initiative. This expansion, increasing LiveCare's reach, has been conducted in conjunction with Bikham Healthcare, a multinational provider of health care support services and solutions specializing in revenue cycle management, medical billing and credentialing

PITTSBURGH—A federal court is requiring a Pittsburgh staffing agency and its owner to pay $208,044 in back wages and liquidated damages to 96 home health workers misclassified as independent contractors by the employer who, in turn, failed to pay them their full wages.
 

SPARTANBURG, South Carolina—LSPedia, a traceability solution provider, and RedSail Technologies, a pharmacy software and services provider, announced their partnership aimed at giving dispensers a holistic solution for pharmacy management and Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA) compliance.

TROY, Michigan—Best Life Brands, LLC (“Best Life Brands”), a franchised organization that includes Blue Moon Estate Sales, CarePatrol, ComForCare, At Your Side Home Care and Boost Home Healthcare, announces the appointment of Kevin Vesely as its new chief financial officer. With an impressive track record of financial leadership and strategic accomplishments, Vesely brings a wealth of experience to Best Life Brands.
 

CINCINNATI, Ohio—FirstLight Home Care, a provider of homecare services, will open a new location in Alameda, California later this year. The office, which is set to open in December, will be owned and operated by Nicole Freeman.

Over the past 15 years, Freeman has contributed to the marketing efforts of several Fortune 500 companies. She is a marketing professional who holds a bachelor of arts degree from UC Berkeley, as well as an MBA from Georgetown University.

TEMPE, Arizona—SYNERGY HomeCare, an in-home care franchise, has launched its newest initiative—an all-encompassing disability care program in conjunction with October being National Disability Employment Awareness Month.

BALL GROUND, Georgia—Global manufacturer of oxygen therapy and cardiorespiratory diagnostic equipment, CAIRE Inc. has opened the doors on its new global service headquarters in Canton, Georgia, in a location near its primary manufacturing hub north of Atlanta. The move by the company is designed to advance long-term plans to enhance service and support for home and durable medical equipment (HME & DME) providers everywhere.

SECAUCUS, New Jersey—For the first time, people worried about their risk of Alzheimer’s disease can go online, order a blood test, and receive results in the privacy of their homes.

This might seem appealing on the surface, but the development has Alzheimer’s researchers and clinicians up in arms.

WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), chairman of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, has introduced the Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Relief Act to provide support to state programs that fund home- and community-based long-term care services.

WATERLOO, Iowa—VGM & Associates announced Mike "Ike" Isaacson has taken a new role as senior vice president of government relations. In this new role, he will focus on advocating for and elevating the durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics and supplies (DMEPOS) industry.

DENVER, Colorado – The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) elected AHCA’s Board of Governors and NCAL’s Board of Directors for the 2023/2024 term. Phil Scalo of New Jersey was elected as AHCA Chair, and Mark Maxfield of Idaho was elected as NCAL chair.