Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius (D), President Obama's nominee to head HHS, sailed through a Thursday confirmation hearing before the Senate Finance Committee. According to press reports, during the hearing Sebelius addressed the prickly issue of universal health coverage by saying, "There may be variations about how best to reach the goal most effectively, most cost effectively, most efficiently, with the best health outcomes of insuring every American.
HomeCare News
AAHomecare's "Stand Up for Homecare" reception last month drew 200 attendees and raised $35,000, officials said. Held March 24 during Medtrade Spring, proceeds from the event will be used for support of the association's public awareness campaign promoting the mission of home care.
The North Carolina Association for Medical Equipment Services' Beth Bowen, executive director, and Joey Tart, past president, attended the fourth regional White House forum on health reform, held March 31 in Greensboro, N.C. Hosted by Gov.
Medtrade Spring organizers said last week attendance at the Las Vegas expo revealed "home medical equipment providers across the country are dedicated to finding creative solutions that enhance the lives of their patients and the success of their businesses." Some 4,600 HME stakeholders — 3,000 of them providers — gathered for the mid-year event, held March 24-26.
Lubbock, Texas-based The MED Group has changed the dates for its National Rehab Network Summit to May 19-20 in Denver. The date change was made so members could take advantage of better travel and hotel rates, the group said. This year's annual educational and networking event will focus on using best business practices and improving operational efficiencies.
The audio transcript of a Nov. 12, 2008, conference call for Part A and B providers explaining the new ICD-10 codes and how they differ from ICD-9 is now available from CMS. Access the transcript in the Downloads Section at www.cms.hhs.gov/ICD10/07_Sponsored_Calls.asp.
NHIC, the Jurisdiction A DME MAC, is offering a "Test Your Knowledge" quiz on Comprehensive Error Rate Testing. After completing the quiz, users will be directed to the correct answers along with where to locate more information on CERT. The results will also be used to detect educational needs among the supplier community, the DME MAC said.
The Jurisdiction B DME MAC will be conducting Medicare 201 "Straight Talk with Medicare" half-day seminars throughout the month of May in each of the region's seven states. To be held May 12-21, the sessions will cover advanced billing, modifiers, reopenings and appeals, documentation requirements, proper use of the ABN and billing of oxygen.
Jurisdiction C has designed an entire week of manual and power wheelchair Webinars ranging from basic billing education to addressing accessories and policy requirements. The sessions will be held April 13-17.
WASHINGTON--FDA regulation of tobacco moved closer this week with passage of the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act in the House on April 2. Co-sponsored by Reps. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., and Todd Platts, R-Pa., the bill would give the FDA the authority to oversee and regulate tobacco marketing and sales in the U.S.
Under the bipartisan legislation, the FDA would have specific
authority to:
LAS VEGAS — Some 450 attendees jammed a Medtrade Spring meeting room Wednesday to hear details of a Medicare oxygen reform plan hammered out by members of the New Oxygen Coalition. And according to Tyler Wilson, president and CEO of the American Association for Homecare, that plan has become "urgent" as the nation's health care reform effort picks up speed.
LAS VEGAS — Three main issues were on the agenda and on providers' minds as HME stakeholders gathered at the Las Vegas Convention Center for Medtrade Spring, March 24-26: the 36-month oxygen cap, the 9.5 percent cut and the revived threat of competitive bidding.
ORLANDO — A third home medical equipment association has entered the picture in Florida, this time a for-profit corporation headed by the previous executive director of the Florida Association of Medical Equipment Services.
Heather Allan, executive director of FAMES for nine years, said last week she has formed the Florida Home Medical Equipment Association Inc., which is based in Orlando.
WASHINGTON — Advocates working to end the two-year delay in Medicare coverage for people with severe disabilities are hoping the third time will be the charm.
Jane H. Gilbert has been appointed president and CEO of The ALS Association. Gilbert joins the association after serving as the senior vice president for chapter operations for the American Red Cross.
The White House announced last week that President Obama plans to nominate Yvette Roubideaux, an assistant professor at the University of Arizona's College of Medicine, as director of the Indian Health Service.
In a March 20 transmittal, CMS published additional post-cap instruction about billing for the six-month maintenance and service payments for oxygen equipment.
Storms, floods and a blizzard in North Dakota have led the President to declare a major disaster in the state. The blizzard in Grand Forks even rendered the NAS Jurisdiction D DME Phone Reopening line unavailable on Wednesday, and Fargo's DME Contact Center is also short-staffed due to flooding.
Following a special Open Door Forum March 17, CMS has posted a series of FAQs regarding its new surety bond requirement for DMEPOS providers. The agency has estimated the average annual bond cost at approximately 3 percent of the bond value, or about $1,500 per $50,000 bond.
Officials of Pride Mobility Products Corp., Exeter, Pa., announced at Medtrade Spring last week the company's Quantum Rehab division is expanding its operations with the launch of Quantum West. A new manufacturing plant in Las Vegas will enhance regional support services and reduce shipping times for providers in the western U.S., according to the company.