SUNRISE, Fla.— Long-time industry consultant Louis Feuer has devised a new program designed to help HME providers improve business outcomes.
“There are lots of consultants out there, including me, who think we have all the answers,” said Feuer, president of Dynamic Seminars & Consulting, “but the only ones who really count are the customers. And the best thing about that is, getting feedback from those consultants is free.”
WASHINGTON — Medicare as managed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is on a "fiscally unsustainable" path, making it a "high-risk" program, a top official with the General Accountability Office told members of a House subcommittee last month.
ATLANTA — A shocking 60 percent of the participants in HomeCare's March Web poll said they are trying to sell or close their HME businesses before Round 2 of competitive bidding.
Of 477 votes in the poll — which asked the question, "Will you bid in Round 2 of competitive bidding?" — here's how the responses broke out:
BALTIMORE — Under a proposed rule published in today's Federal Register, the circumstances under which HME providers can contact Medicare beneficiaries directly would be revised.
An Aug. 27, 2010, final rule on the DMEPOS supplier standards enlarged the scope of the direct solicitation ban beyond prohibition of unsolicited telephone contacts to include in-person contacts, email and instant messaging.
LAS VEGAS — Medtrade Spring attendees will be able to ask their members of Congress to sign onto H.R. 1041, the House bill to repeal national competitive bidding, on the spot.
LENEXA, Kan. — Mediware Information Systems announced Thursday that it will acquire the assets of CareCentric's home medical equipment, home health and home infusion businesses.
The deal, which is expected to close within 30 days, will add more than 300 new customers and related products, services and contracts to Mediware's Alternate Care Solutions business line.
WASHINGTON — At latest count, H.R. 1041 has 53 cosponsors representing bipartisan support — "a significant accomplishment in just 20 days," according to AAHomecare.
ARLINGTON, Va. — The AAHomecare Medical Supplies Council has developed new quality standards for negative pressure wound therapy and is recommending that they be incorporated into the accreditation requirements for HME providers.
LAS VEGAS — Want to talk in person to representatives of the DME MACs, the NSC, the CEDI or the CBIC? You'll get your chance at Medtrade Spring, April 12-14 at the Sands Expo and Convention Center in Las Vegas. Staff from all the contractors will be available to address questions in booth 1736.
WASHINGTON — A multi-media blitz from HHS and CMS this week detailed a government proposal to form Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) — entities comprised of doctors, hospitals and other health care providers to better coordinate care for Medicare patients.
BALTIMORE — On Friday, new screening requirements for Medicare DME enrollees took effect, along with new application fees.
According to attorney Jeff Baird, chairman of the health care group at Brown & Fortunato, Amarillo, Texas, the new requirements are part of the government's move away from "pay-and-chase" to "guarding the henhouse" when it comes to fighting fraud.
COLUMBIA, S.C. — BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina has signed an agreement to purchase Cigna Government Services as part of a strategy to build on its government business line, a spokesperson for the giant insurer confirmed March 28. The sale is expected to close in late April.
WASHINGTON — Late Friday, the American Association for Homecare reported Rep. Glenn Thompson's office has tallied unofficial commitments for H.R. 1041 that double the number of representatives signed onto the bill to more than 40.
LAS VEGAS — Buoyed by the introduction of H.R.1041 to repeal competitive bidding, thousands of home medical equipment providers are expected to travel to Medtrade Spring next month with a renewed interest in new products and new ideas.
WASHINGTON — During its annual Legislative Conference March 16-17, the American Association for Homecare gave H.R. 1041 a running start but also took care of a little business of its own, electing board members for the year.
BALTIMORE — CMS issued a notice last week confirming that no date has been determined for when it will begin to apply claim edits for ordering/referring providers that do not have a record in the Provider Enrollment, Chain, and Ownership System (PECOS).
BALTIMORE — Registration is now open for the Program Advisory and Oversight Committee meeting on Tuesday, April 5. Discussion topics will include the status of the Round 1 rebid, Round 2 competitive bidding timeline and product categories and a segment on mail-order diabetic supplies.
The meeting will be held at the CMS Central Office at 7500 Security Blvd., Baltimore, Md. 21244.
BALTIMORE — CMS has issued an MLN Matters article (MM7350) that explains new enrollment screening categories for DMEPOS suppliers along with application fees, payment suspension based on allegations of fraud and its authority to impose a temporary moratorium on the enrollment of new Medicare providers and suppliers of a particular type in a geographic area.
BALTIMORE — CMS said it needs help identifying beneficiaries who may have difficulty accessing Medicare home health services.
"We would like to hear about your experiences serving hard to reach populations, as well as the challenges certain beneficiaries may experience in accessing Medicare home health services," according to an agency notice.
HINGHAM, Mass. — The Jurisdiction A DME MAC has tallied a 67.2 percent charge denial rate in a complex prepayment review of claims for nebulizers with compressors — HCPCS code E0570 — NHIC said March 24. The review centered on 294 claims submitted by 183 providers for the period from November 2010 through February.
