WASHINGTON — For home medical equipment industry long-timers, it was, as the venerable Yogi Berra said, déjà vu all over again when President Obama tapped Nancy-Ann Min DeParle, former HCFA admnistrator, to lead the White House Office of Health Reform.
HomeCare News
BALTIMORE — March 17 is more than St. Patrick's Day this year. It's the last day for commenting on CMS' competitive bidding IFR, and the date of a special Open Door Forum on the surety bond requirement for DMEPOS providers.
BALTIMORE — In a move to standardize sleep test coverage nationwide, CMS issued its final coverage decision regarding obstructive sleep apnea diagnostic tests on Tuesday.
ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Nielsen Business Media, producer of Medtrade and Medtrade Spring, announces HomeCare magazine, a publication of Penton Media, is the official publication of Medtrade and Medtrade Spring. Medtrade and Medtrade Spring are the leading trade shows for the home medical equipment industry.
AAHomecare's Walt Gorski, vice president of government affairs, spoke Friday at the National Medicare RAC Summit, a conference about the new Medicare Recovery Audit Contractor program. Under the program, the RACs will be paid a contingency fee based on the amount of the improper payments they ferret out and collect.
AAHomecare reported last week that its New Oxygen Coalition continues to work toward consensus on a plan for reform of the Medicare home oxygen benefit. A nine-member subcommittee working within the coalition has met several times, the association said, and hopes to have a final document for consideration within the next few weeks.
In a follow-up on a point about participating and non-participating providers that came up during a Special Open Door Forum on accreditation held earlier this year, CMS has made it clear: "In either case, participating and non-participating, Medicare providers/suppliers must bill Medicare on behalf of the beneficiary and must be accredited by Sept.
A reminder from Jurisdiction A DME MAC NHIC last week notes that mandatory use of the revised Advance Beneficiary Notice of Noncoverage began March 1. CMS introduced the revised ABN March 3, 2008, and in the year since, has permitted dual acceptability of the old versions or the revised version of the form. But as of March 1, CMS said it would no longer accept any previous versions of the form.
According to a notice from Noridian Administrative Services, the Jurisdiction D DME MAC, effective immediately, when billing for oxygen equipment for a break in billing, resulting in a date of service after 36 months from the initial date on the CMN, a narrative stat
Sens. John Tester, D-Mont., and Sam Brownback, R-Kan., have introduced the Access to Durable Medical Equipment Act of 2009, a bill that would add pharmacists to the list of 17 medical professionals that are exempted from Medicare Part B accreditation requirements. The bill is a companion to a House bill introduced earlier this year by Reps.
About 86.7 million Americans, or a third of those under age 65, lacked health insurance at some point during 2007 and 2008, according to a new report by Families USA, a consumer advocacy group. Released March 4, the report found about 60 percent of those without health insurance lacked coverage for nine months or longer, while about three-quarters la
There's still time! When you're signing up for Medtrade Spring, use Code Home2009 for $50 off your conference ticket if you register before the show. With more than 250 exhibitors and 70 educational sessions, the event is just around the corner on March 24-26 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. For more information, visit www.medtrade.com.
WASHINGTON — President Obama nominated Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, D-Kan., as Health and Human Services secretary March 2, and named Nancy-Ann Min DeParle, former HCFA administrator, to lead the White Office of Health Reform.
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama's proposed 2010 budget might be lacking in details, but there was enough in the $3.6 trillion document to make industry stakeholders wary of what it might mean for the home medical equipment sector of health care.
ATLANTA — Sleep therapy providers said last week they are logging significant losses as a result of the new PAP policy instituted Nov. 1, and some are appealing to physicians to intercede with Medicare on their behalf.
WASHINGTON — When it was all said and done last week, 123 members of the House of Representatives had signed on to a "Dear Colleague" letter to ask that CMS revise the post-36-month oxygen payment rules.
ATLANTA — Last week, the DME MACs said they are instituting a billing and payment policy for common repairs based on standardized labor times effective for claims with dates of service on or after April 1, 2009.
WASHINGTON — The White House Office of Health Reform sits vacant as the Obama administration regroups from former Sen. Tom Daschle's withdrawal as the person to run it, and to head the Department of Health and Human Services. But last week, the Senate HELP committee heard a request to create another White House office focused specifically on health and wellness.
Graham-Field Health Products, Atlanta, has promoted Ken Spett to executive vice president. In his new position, Spett's responsibilities will encompass the medical/surgical, home care, consumer and international divisions, along with global operations and marketing.
Rehab and respiratory providers can earn CEUs at Medtrade Spring in Las Vegas, March 24-26. The University of Pittsburgh has approved CEUs for seven sessions from the Rehabilitation & Assistive Technology Track. The CEUs will also be accepted by both RESNA and NRRTS for credentialing purposes.