COLLEGE PARK, Md. — In what one stakeholder termed "the strongest case yet" against competitive bidding, economist Peter Cramton wrote a letter to President Barack Obama underscoring the fatal flaws in CMS' bidding design and asking for presidential involvement in getting the program redrawn. The letter, sent Friday, was signed by 244 auction design experts.
HomeCare News
SAN FRANCISCO — Adding its thumbs down to a growing list of studies and commentaries that slam national competitive bidding, the Pacific Research Institute weighed in last week with another damning review of the process, saying it "yields prices for equipment that are substantially lower than those that would emerge in a competitive market."
MONTREAL — On Wednesday, Canada's Bio-Solutions Corp. announced that it plans to enter the U.S. HME market.
"Recently, after having multiple organically built 'mom and pop' operations approach us, our board and management have decided this would be a beneficial direction to grow and expand our company," Dr. Gilles Chaumillon, CEO and president, said in a release.
HINGHAM, Mass. — On Friday, NHIC released its latest quarterly findings in an ongoing widespread prepayment review of oxygen claims (HCPCS E1390, E0431 and E0439) in DME MAC Jurisdiction A.
Covering claims with service dates from January through March, the complex medical review involved 297 claims submitted by 199 suppliers.
WASHINGTON — There will be a congressional briefing on "The Importance of Rehabilitation in America's Healthcare System" June 23 (Thursday) from noon to 1:30 p.m. in Room HVC-200 at the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center, including a presentation by Dr. Gerard Francisco, the attending rehab physician for recovering Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz.
BALTIMORE — Last week the CBIC announced it would delay the second-quarter deadline for competitive bidding winners' requirement to submit Form C until July 29. Read the June 14 post on the CBIC website.
WATERLOO, Iowa — Business process and paperless solutions specialist MedForce Technologies and member services group VGM have renewed their years-long partnership, the companies announced June 13.
"Efficiency is critical to building and maintaining a business," MedForce CEO Esther Apter said in a release, and the companies' goal is to continue to make HME companies "as efficient — and profitable — as possible."
STRONGSVILLE, Ohio — Roscoe Medical announced June 8 that Paul J. Guth has been appointed president and CEO.
Guth, who joins the company as it continues to expand operations, most recently served as CEO of Artromick International, which provides medication management and mobile computer carts for the long-term and acute care markets.
COLUMBIA, S.C. — It's only a few more days until this summer's blockbuster movie Transformers: Dark of the Moon hits theaters June 29. But you can sneak a peek of ActiveCare Medical's Wildcat 450 Hollywood debut in the online trailer.
ATLANTA — If you talk to a consultant long enough, you realize quickly that there are no "mistakes" in the land of corporate speak, only "learning opportunities." By the same token, there are no "problems," only "challenges."
But HME owners toiling in the school of hard knocks know better. Mistakes happen, and they can be costly.
WASHINGTON — Consumer and advocacy groups for those with disabilities last week called for HME to be exempted from a medical device tax required under health care reform, saying it would prevent consumers from obtaining needed devices.
In separate letters to U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, 30 members of the consumer-led ITEM Coalition and a group of 18 disability-related organizations urged the secretary to exempt HME from the tax.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The HME Advisory Committee of the Tennessee Association for Home Care announced in a unanimous decision June 7 they will not renew their TAHC membership once the group's year ends on June 30. Instead, the HME members will be moving from TAHC to a new state association for HME.
Called AtHomeServices, which stands for Association for Tennessee Home Oxygen & Medical Equipment Services, the new association will begin operations in early July.
INDIANAPOLIS — CMS and NGS, the Jurisdiction B DME MAC, are looking for Indianapolis area physicians and DME suppliers to participate in a pilot program to "fight fraud and ensure Medicare dollars are used appropriately."
ARLINGTON, Va. — In a formal comment letter last week, the American Association for Homecare urged CMS to identify HME providers as "essential components" of an accountable care organization, or ACO.
ATLANTA — Registration is now open for Medtrade 2011, the largest national educational and buying event for the home medical equipment industry. This year's show will take place Oct. 24-27 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta.
As a special offer, show producers have announced early-bird pricing that includes:
BOSTON — Crystal Financial announced June 9 that it has closed on $25 million in financing for New Braunfels, Texas-based The Scooter Store.
Based in Boston, the commercial finance company originates, underwrites and manages secured loans to middle market companies in all industries. The company's debt-structuring team has made over $20 billion in loans, according to a release.
BEDFORD, Mass. — Insulet Corp., which manufactures the OmniPod insulin pump, announced June 2 that it has acquired Neighborhood Diabetes for $63 million in cash and stock.
WATERLOO, Iowa — More than 1,000 attendees including providers, manufacturers, speakers and other friends of the industry gathered in VGM's hometown of Waterloo, Iowa, June 6-9 for the group's annual Heartland Conference.
CHICAGO — Pride Mobility-Quantum Rehab spokesman Bryan Anderson's new book No Turning Back (Penguin Group) is now available for presale at Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com and Borders.com. As a U. S. Army sergeant in Iraq, Anderson was the war's fourth triple amputee from a roadside explosive.
BALTIMORE — Effective Oct. 1, 2011, Change Request 7212 instructs Medicare DME MACs to prohibit separate payment for repairs to capped rental DME during the rental period.
View a PDF of MLN Matters Article 7212 on the edit.