On March 23, MAMES Vice President Julie Weidemann of Palmer Home Medical Supply and state association member Matt Flatt of Hammer Medical attended the Iowa White House Forum on Health Reform in Des Moines. The event was co-hosted by Iowa Gov. Chet Culver, South Dakota Gov. Mike Rounds, Iowa Sen.
HomeCare News
The National Supplier Clearinghouse has published its March newsletter, including updated accreditation information as well as surety bond requirements for DMEPOS suppliers. Access the newsletter on the NSC Web site.
As the health reform debates heats up, Vermont Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders introduced a single-payer health reform bill, the American Health Security Act of 2009, in the U.S. Senate last week.
According to Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, President Obama's HHS Secretary-nominee, could receive confirmation approval from the Senate Finance Committee this week. Sebelius is scheduled to undergo a "courtesy hearing" before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee tomorrow. The Finance Committee, which will ultimately vote on her nomination, will hear Sebelius testify on Thursday.
The Alzheimer's Association stated in a new report last week that the number of U.S. residents with Alzheimer's disease is increasing annually — and increasing pressure on the nation's health system.
WASHINGTON—Ever-growing health care costs are a major player in the country’s current economic crisis, President Barack Obama told a prime-time television audience Tuesday night, and the task of balancing budgets will be impossible if the cost of health care can’t be contained.
WASHINGTON — In a race to stop the competitive bidding clock, more than 600 HME stakeholders weighed in with comments on the project's interim final rule, with most calling for CMS to rescind the rule before it takes effect April 18.
The issue of competitive bidding is garnering attention from consumers as well. On Thursday, the Wall Street Journal delved into the topic in an article headlined “Medicare Rules on Equipment Worry Patients.”
LAS VEGAS—With more than 250 exhibitors and 70 educational sessions, Medtrade Spring organizers say this year’s show, Tuesday through Thursday at the Las Vegas Convention Center, includes a number of opportunities both for networking and for gaining the latest information on the slew of changes affecting the industry.
ARLINGTON, Va.—After working for weeks to find common ground on reform of Medicare’s oxygen benefit and repeal of the 36-month cap, the American Association for Homecare said Friday that a proposal is nearly complete.
WASHINGTON—HHS’ Office of Inspector General isn’t happy with what Medicare pays for negative pressure wound therapy pumps. In a report issued Thursday, the OIG said providers pay an average of $3,604 for new pumps compared to Medicare’s purchase price of $17,165--“more than four times the average price” paid by providers.
BALTIMORE—CMS said last week the deadlines for DMEPOS providers’ surety bonds would be enforced as set out in its final rule on the new requirement--even though the agency has yet to pass on full details about its bond requirements to the surety industry or to those who must purchase the bonds.
BRADENTON, Fla.—With the intent of restructuring the Florida Association of Medical Equipment Service, Joan Cross, a veteran home medical equipment provider and former president of FAMES, has been named executive director of the organization.
DORAL, Fla.—Sunshine State members of the Accredited Medical Equipment Providers of America have banded together to form a new state association, the Florida Alliance of Home Care Services, the group announced Wednesday.
BURLINGTON, Vt.—The New England Medical Equipment Dealers Association earned a place in the spotlight at the second regional health care reform summit sponsored by the Obama administration last week.
WASHINGTON—As Congress prepares to tackle health care reform, Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, staked his ground at an early morning briefing with reporters Thursday. Reform needs to be all encompassing, but if it includes a new federal health benefit, Grassley said, that could be a deal-breaker.
As the home oxygen sector works to reshape Medicare's oxygen benefit, last week House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, wrote CMS Acting Administrator Charlene Frizzera to ask that the agency reconsider the payment policy and provide oxygen payments throughout the beneficiary’s period of medical need.
In a notice sent last week, CMS reminded DMEPOS providers that they are required to obtain accreditation by Sept. 30 or risk having their Medicare Part B billing privileges revoked. The agency has released a new MLN Matters article that outlines what to do if a provider has not yet complied with the program’s supplier and quality standards to become accredited.
HHS announced Friday that Dr. David Blumenthal, a former Harvard Medical School professor who has advised Sen. Edward Kennedy, is the Obama administration’s choice as National Coordinator for Health Information Technology.
Pride Mobility Products Corp., Exeter, Pa., said last week it is collaborating with Metropolitan State College of Denver’s Department of Industrial Design, which focuses on product design in manufacturing.