WATERLOO, Iowa (March 31, 2022)—VGM & Associates is pleased to announce Devin Henderson, certified speaking professional (CSP), as the keynote speaker for its 2022 Heartland Conference, scheduled for June 13-15, 2022, in Waterloo, Iowa. 

“Devin is a magician and comedian who put his talent to the test on the big stage of ‘America’s Got Talent,’” said Jill Blaser, chair of Heartland Conference. “But his rise to fame was stalled when his segment was never aired.”

CHICAGO (March 31 2022)—The Vistria Group announced its investment in Professional Health Care Network (PHCN), a home health care management services company that partners with health plans and providers to increase the access and value of home-based clinical care. The transaction with PHCN represents the fifth investment from Vistria Fund IV, a $2.68 billion fund.

RICHMOND, Va. (March 31, 2022)—Owens & Minor, Inc., a global health care solutions company, announced that it has closed the previously announced acquisition of Apria, Inc. The acquisition was consummated for total consideration in cash of approximately $1.6 billion. The purchase was funded with a combination of debt and cash on hand.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (March 31, 2022)—Late last Friday, the Ohio Dept. of Medicaid (ODM) announced that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) had approved the state’s plans to distribute federal American Rescue Plan relief for home and community-based service (HCBS) providers, including durable medical equipment (DME) suppliers.

PHOENIX (March 29, 2022)—Fisher & Paykel Healthcare (F&P) will be showing off its wares at Booth #621 at Medtrade West, scheduled to begin on Monday, April 4 at the Phoenix Convention Center. The Auckland, New Zealand-based F&P recently reported that the company expects full year operating revenue for the 2022 financial year to be in the range of $1.675 billion to $1.70 billion.

BOSTON (March 29, 2022)—Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey announced that home health agency Compassionate Homecare, Inc. has agreed to pay $6.53 million to MassHealth to resolve allegations that it billed MassHealth for services that were not authorized by a physician. In addition, up to $375,000 will be set aside for payment of unpaid wages for former Compassionate employees.

AUSTIN, Texas, (March 29, 2022)—CareFlash and Snowline Hospice announced that the organizations have entered into a collaborative partnership that leverages togetherness, empathy and nostalgia to enhance healing and aging journeys, chronic and cognitive illness, even in celebrating a loved one's memory. This agreement provides patients, families and communities access to CareFlash's signature platform, "The Careopolis, A Metropolis of Love and Empathy."

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. and LAFAYETTE, La. (March 29, 2022)—UnitedHealth Group has announced plans to acquire LHC Group, a national patient-focused provider of high-quality in-home health care services for about $5.4 billion cash value. The acquisition plan calls for LHC Group to combine with Optum Health, an information and technology-enabled health services business. The agreement calls for the acquisition of LHC Group’s outstanding common stock for $170 per share. 

WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 25, 2022)—The bipartisan Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act is new legislation introduced in both the Senate and House of Representatives that would extend the acute care hospital at home waiver program. Initially introduced in November 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE), the program provides an alternative setting of care for certain conditions, such as asthma, pneumonia and COPD.

SKILLMAN, N.J. (March 24, 2022)—Curasev, a provider of electronic medical record (EMR) solutions for durable medical equipment (DME), home medical equipment (HME) and home health providers, will be launching its academy-style training videos and integration with CardConnect at the Medtrade West 2022 show.

With the planned launch of the academy-style training videos, Curasev seeks to make it easier for HME and DME suppliers to transition from legacy systems.