PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y. (June 24, 2016)—DeVilbiss Healthcare was selected as a winner in the 18th annual Digital Health Awards program for its innovative SmartLink App for the IntelliPAP 2 CPAP System. The SmartLink App received the Award of Merit in the Telehealth/Remote Patient Monitoring category with a classification of Connect Digital Health. This competition, held twice a year, recognizes the world’s best digital health resources.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 24, 2016)—The Council for Quality Respiratory Care (CQRC)—a coalition of the nation’s leading home oxygen therapy provider and manufacturing companies—expressed disappointment that the U.S. House of Representatives did not pass the Patient Access to Durable Medical Equipment (PADME) Act (H.R. 5210) before adjourning. The PADME Act is pro-patient legislation to delay the phase-in of deep Medicare cuts to home respiratory care supplies and services.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 24, 2016)—Just minutes after AAHomecare updated members about the status of rural relief legislation on Capitol Hill, they received CMS’s announcement of the release of the 2016 DMEPOS fee schedule amounts set to take effect on July 1 for certain items outside of Competitive Bid Areas that were adjusted based on information from the bidding program.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 23, 2016)—CMS released a final rule implementing Section 216(a) of the Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014 (PAMA), requiring laboratories performing clinical diagnostic laboratory tests to report the amounts paid by private insurers for laboratory tests. Medicare will use these private insurer rates to calculate Medicare payment rates for laboratory tests paid under the Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule (CLFS) beginning January 1, 2018.