IRVINE, California—Masimo announced that Masimo Opioid Halo, an opioid overdose prevention and alert system, has been granted a De Novo by the FDA, making it the first and only FDA-cleared monitoring solution for detecting opioid-induced respiratory depression, the leading cause of death from opioid overdose. With the De Novo, Masimo also becomes the first winner of an FDA Opioid Innovation Challenge to have an authorized solution designed to help solve the U.S. opioid crisis.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), released the Calendar Year (CY) 2024 Medicare Advantage (MA) and Part D Rate Announcement that finalized payment policies for these programs. According to HHS, the final policies in the Rate Announcement aim to improve payment accuracy and ensure taxpayer dollars are well spent.

HOUSTON—Two Houston residents—Caroline Zamora, 63, and Rommel Zmora, 59—are set to appear on allegations in an $8.7 million fraud scheme connected to a home health company they jointly owned and operated, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

HOUSTON—A 63-year-old Sugar Land resident has been ordered to prison for conspiracy to pay and receive kickbacks, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

NASHVILLE, Tennesse—National Seating & Mobility (NSM), a provider of complex rehabilitation technology, mobility and accessibility solutions in North America announced the appointment of health care industry veteran Brady Shirley to the NSM Board of Directors. 

DALLAS—Securing better reimbursement rates and moving to new technologies like eprescribing are the top priorities for home medical equipment (HME)advocates in 2023, industry leaders said March 30 at Medtrade, the country’s largest HME conference and tradeshow.

AKRON, Ohio—ACU-Serve, an end-to-end revenue cycle management company, announced the company has signed an agreement with Nymbl Systems, software solutions that aim to deliver better business outcomes for those who enable better health and mobility. The two companies are working together to fill the void for purpose-built automation systems that meet the uniquely complex billing and business management requirements of complex rehab therapy (CRT) providers.    

Washington, D.C.—In response to a requirement of the Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA), 2023, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) presented data used to determine Medicare home health payment rates for calendar year (CY) 2023, including the permanent and temporary rate adjustments calculated under the Patient Driven Groupings Model (PDGM) “budget neutrality” requirements.

DALLAS—A light mobility deice that works as both a wheelchair and rollator took the top award in a close vote at Medtrade's New Product Pavilion on March 30.

PALM BEACH, Florida—Family-owned and operated ComForCare Senior Services of Palm Beach, a private-duty non-medical home health agency, has acquired a major position and operating control of the existing ComForCare operations in Broward and Dade counties. This new partnership will bring ComForcare Home Care’s South Florida operations to a total of seven territories with the team now servicing clients from North Miami to Vero Beach.