WASHINGTON — In a move that sparked some cautious optimism among home medical equipment stakeholders, President-elect Barack Obama last week named former Sen. Tom Daschle of South Dakota to head up the Department of Health and Human Services.
HomeCare News
BALTIMORE — Last week CMS issued a special edition MLN Matters article explaining changes in Medicare payment for oxygen that brought a fresh outcry from HME advocates about the new rules and provider responsibilities.
MIAMI — Board members of the Accredited Medical Equipment Providers of America filed a complaint about CMS' new oxygen regulations with the Small Business Administration through their own companies Thursday.
WASHINGTON — In a strategic move to have a strong voice in health care reform in Congress, Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., announced last week he has created three committee work groups to forge legislation that would reform the nation's fractured health care system.
WASHINGTON — The economic value of family caregiving in the United States reached $375 billion in 2007—exceeding the $311 billion spent for Medicaid last year—according to a new report by AARP's Public Policy Institute. The new estimate reflects an increase in the U.S. population, the aging of the population and a higher estimate of the average value for one hour of care, AARP said.
MIAMI — The owner of 13 South Florida DME companies and three clinics pleaded guilty to criminal charges in connection with a Medicare scheme involving nearly $57 million in false claims, federal prosecutors announced Nov. 14.
Delray Beach, Fla.-based DIABCO Healthware Software Solutions has appointed Virginia Greenwood as its new national sales manager. Greenwood brings 12 years of experience in sales and is also an expert in consulting and management services.
The word from Erika Williams, ombudsman for the National Supplier Clearinghouse, is that the final rule on provider standards could contain six to 10 more standards when it is issued. When will that be? No one knows, Williams said at last month's Medtrade.
WASHINGTON — Signaling the new Congress' intention to tackle the issue of health care early on next year, Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., last week unveiled a comprehensive reform plan that drew both kudos and cautions from HME industry stakeholders.
While they commended the plan for building a more efficient health care system, they did not overlook its red flags.
BALTIMORE — CMS held a Special Open Door Forum Thursday to introduce its new Recovery Audit Contractors, tabbed in October to ferret out Medicare overpayments and underpayments. The RACs will be paid a contingency fee based on the amount of the improper payments they correct.
BALTIMORE — Along with a slew of new oxygen payment rules, Medicare's 2009 Physician Fee Schedule (PDF) put the final nail in the Medicare home sleep testing coffin for HME providers.
Still, attorney Neil Caesar said the final rule is more favorable when it comes to referrals.
WASHINGTON--A group of more than 75 health advocacy organizations is urging the next Congress to end the 24-month wait for Medicare coverage faced by people with disabilities.
SANTA CLARA, Calif.--Last week, Intel Corp. rolled out its first medical device with its introduction of the Intel Health Guide, a care management tool for patients with chronic conditions.
WASHINGTON--The United States recovered more than $1.1 billion lost to fraud in federal health care programs for fiscal 2008, the Department of Justice said Nov. 10.
Cases involving whistleblowers accounted for a majority of the recoveries, according to a DOJ release. The figures bring total recoveries since 1986, when Congress substantially strengthened the False Claims Act, to more than $21 billion.
ATLANTA — Last week's election of Sen. Barack Obama as the next president of the United States and a stream of new Democrats in both the House of Representatives and the Senate could bode well for the home medical equipment industry—or not.
ATLANTA — Following CMS' Oct. 30 release of regulations involving changes to Medicare home oxygen policy and payment, some stakeholders involved in the sector said they believe the new rules are punitive.
While in July the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act reversed the oxygen equipment transfer to beneficiaries called for under 2005's Deficit Reduction Act, it left the DRA's 36-month oxygen rental cap in place.
BALTIMORE — CMS is accepting comments on the oxygen regulations until 5 p.m. EST Dec. 29. In commenting, refer to file code CMS-1403-FC. Comments can be submitted in one of four ways:
BALTIMORE — The four recently named recovery audit contractors poised to begin provider education this month were told last week to halt all work pending a review of protests filed by two companies that failed to win RAC contracts, CMS said.
ATLANTA — At an update on competitive bidding during Medtrade Oct. 28, Palmetto GBA Content and Policy Lead Cindy Dreher spoke to an audience of HME providers who slammed her with questions regarding changes to Round 1.2 and when it will happen. And though they left the session with Dreher's assurances of a "successful" process, they got no new information.
LAKE FOREST, Calif — Apria Healthcare Group announced Oct. 28 that The Blackstone Group has completed its acquisition of the giant provider for approximately $1.7 billion. Under terms of the agreement, Apria stockholders will receive $21 in cash for each share of common stock they own.