Updated Sept. 10 at 8:22 a.m. Central, to reflect further industry reactions.
HomeCare News
MINNEAPOLIS (September 9, 2021)—GrandPad, creator of the purpose-built tablet for seniors, announced that it has partnered with Growing Bolder to enhance and expand the library of engaging content for seniors that is included in the GrandPad tablet. Growing Bolder is an award-winning multimedia company that is on a mission to redefine aging by delivering content that engages and inspires people over 50 to live exceptional lives.
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (September 9, 2021)—WellSky, a health and community care technology company, announced that Andy Eilert has joined the company as president, emerging markets, effective immediately. In this role, Eilert will focus on enhancing WellSky’s provider software and analytics capabilities to optimize care and scale provider performance through new ventures and strategic opportunities in emerging health care markets.
LAFAYETTE, La. (September 9, 2021)—LHC Group, Inc. announced significant expansions of its nationwide footprint, resources and service capabilities. The company has entered into an agreement to purchase Brookdale Health Care Services agencies from the recently formed home health, hospice and outpatient therapy venture between HCA Healthcare and Brookdale Senior Living Inc.
Updated to include quote from BAYADA.
MOORESTOWN, N.J. (September 9, 2021)—BAYADA, BAYADA Home Health Care Inc., BAYADA Health LLC and BAYADA Home Care (collectively, the BAYADA Companies), headquartered in Moorestown, New Jersey, have agreed to pay $17 million to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act’s Anti-Kickback Statute by paying a kickback to a retirement home operator by purchasing two of its home health agencies (HHAs) located in Arizona.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (September 8, 2021)—Leaders of the durable medical equipment (DME) industry announced the formation of DMEscripts LLC, an independent e-prescribe company dedicated to improving the patient, prescriber and provider experience by eliminating inefficiencies and reducing paperwork.
Washington, D.C. (September 7, 2021)—It is with regret that the National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC) must announce the cancellation of the 2021 Home Care and Hospice Conference and Expo, originally scheduled for Oct. 3-5, 2021, in New Orleans.
This decision was not made lightly, and we are enormously grateful for the support so many people showed for the homecare and hospice community by registering to join their fellow industry leaders at the conference.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (September 7, 2021)—The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) indicated in an August 2021 MLNConnects newsletter that the agency will resume the targeted probe and educate (TPE) program that was suspended in March 2020 (as were most medical reviews) due to the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE).
Some medical reviews resumed in August 2020, despite the PHE, but the TPE program remained on pause.
LAFAYETTE, La. (September 7, 2021)—LHC Group, Inc. announced it has finalized its previously announced agreement to purchase Heart of Hospice from EPI Group, LLC—a deal that expands the company’s hospice footprint in five states. The agreement was first announced on June 2, 2021.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (September 7, 2021)—Encompass Health Corporation announced the appointment of Christopher R. Reidy to the Encompass Health board of directors, effective Oct. 1, 2021. This appointment will expand the Encompass Health board to 15 director seats as part of its ongoing succession planning.
TYLER, Texas (September 7, 2021)—Trive Capital, a Dallas-based private equity firm, is excited to announce its partnership with Choice Health at Home. Headquartered in Tyler, Texas the company is a geriatric post-acute home health business that has historically served patients throughout Texas.
ATLANTA (September 7, 2021)—In mid-August, the United States’ Department of Justice (DOJ) reported that Kevin Rumph, Jr., 41, of Fairburn, Georgia, pleaded guilty to a charge of theft of medical products. Rumph used his U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) issued credit card to buy over $1.9 million worth of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) equipment, which he stole and then sold.
Before Rich Berner came on board as CEO of Complia Health six months ago, he had already spent 25 years as a health care strategist with a focus on technology, most recently at MDLIVE, where he led the industry transition to consumer-focused health care online.
PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y. (September 1, 2021)—Drive DeVilbiss Healthcare announced today the discontinuation of the DV5 and DV6 series CPAP devices as of December 2021. As a result, Drive DeVilbiss will no longer accept new CPAP orders in order to fill as many open orders as possible.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (September 1, 2021)—National Seating & Mobility (NSM), a provider of comprehensive mobility solutions, has acquired Senior Safe Solutions, a home accessibility market leader in Ohio. The acquisition expands NSM’s mobility and accessibility services for clients in the area.
SCHAUMBURG, Ill. (September 1, 2021)—Complia Health, a home health and hospice technology solutions provider, announced the appointment of Terry Richards as chief technology officer. Richards’ addition underscores the company’s commitment to delivering a world class consumer and caregiver experience that ensures proactive, predictive health management.
AMSTERDAM (September 1, 2021)—Royal Philips today announced an update in connection with the June 14, 2021 recall notification for specific Philips sleep and respiratory care devices that was issued to address potential health risks related to the polyester-based polyurethane (PE-PUR) sound abatement foam component in these devices. More than half of the affected devices in use globally are in the United States. The vast majority (>80%) of the registered affected devices in the U.S.
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama (August 31, 2021)—Congress must pass a massive social programs bill that includes billions in funding for seniors and those with disabilities, leaders in home health and senior services said Tuesday.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (August 31, 2021)—The National Association for Home Care & Hospice submitted comments to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on the latest home health proposed rule 86 Fed. Reg. 35874. The rule proposed changes to the Patient Driven Groupings Model (PDGM) case mix and reimbursement based on 2020 care data.
BOSTON (August 30, 2021)—Prospero Health, a physician-led home-based medical care provider that supports over 15,000 people facing serious illness, recently announced the hiring of two executive leaders: Bill Kayser as chief financial officer and Robert Machen as chief information officer.