Via AAHomecare, WASHINGTON, D.C. (February 28, 2018)—AAHomecare has been working for many months with CMS and the Jurisdiction D Council to fix a claims system problem related to physician’s PECOS enrollment.
MOBILE, Ala. (February 21, 2017)—Supreme Medical, a national wholesale distributor of medical supplies and DME, has launched a new Homecare & Post-Acute catalog.
Packed with over 40,000 items from more than 700 manufacturers, Supreme Medical will use this new resource to continue to build its homecare division that is focused on serving HME/DME providers, independent pharmacies, home health agencies and hospice care providers across the nation.
Via AAHomecare, WASHINGTON, D.C. (February 14, 2018)—The recently released FY 2019 budget proposal from the White House includes several items related to DME. AAHomecare has especially strong concerns about the first item noted below and plans to talk to the Administration for clarification.
Provisions found in the budget proposal and an HHS summary document include:
WATERLOO, Iowa (January 31, 2018)—VGM Group, Inc. announced the official release of its latest playbook, Industry Snapshots: Forecasting 2018.
The playbook is the first in a series of comprehensive, downloadable resources that will highlight issues, trends and opportunities facing the HME community.
WATERLOO, Iowa (December 12, 2017)—In a nationwide survey, over half of Medicare beneficiaries reported problems obtaining medically needed home medical equipment (HME) such as oxygen and wheelchairs under Medicare’s Competitive Bidding program.
Washington, D.C. (October 2, 2017)—Nearly one-fourth of the members of the U.S. House of Representatives have asked the Office of Management & Budget (OMB) to clear an HME-related Interim Final Rule (IFR) currently under review at OMB. The IFR, titled “Durable Medical Equipment Fee Schedule, Adjustments to Resume the Transitional 50/50 Blended Rates to Provide Relief in Non-Competitive Bidding Areas” has been at OMB since late August.
—Via CMS, WASHINGTON, D.C. (September 25, 2017)—The Qualified Independent Contractor (QIC), C2C Innovative Solutions, Inc., conducts reopenings under the Medicare Appeals Demonstration in Jurisdictions C and D. C2C is sending Reopening Document Request Letters for appeals that are selected for potential reopening as part of the Durable Medical Equipment (DME) formal telephone discussion demonstration.
PORT ORANGE, Fla. (July 24, 2017)—Home Because is pleased to announce the launch of its new website, connecting online consumers and caregivers with local providers.
WATERLOO, Iowa (June 27, 2017)—Last week Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) introduced a bill that would provide coverage for wigs to Medicare beneficiaries. The bill, HR 2925 would allow wigs to be covered as durable medical equipment; opening access for Medicare beneficiaries that a dermatologist, oncologist or attending physician can certify medical necessity as a part of rehabilitative treatment.
WATERLOO, Iowa (February 22, 2017)—Leitten Consulting released its latest findings on the economic impact Medicare spending has on health care as it relates to durable medical equipment.
Leitten’s study, “The Case for Medicare Investment in Durable Medical Equipment,” shows that the health care system and beneficiaries save on long-term costs if the government invests in durable medical equipment services up front.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (January 18, 2017)—CMS published guidance to the states on Friday, January 13, in an effort to give strategies to the state to ensure access to DMEPOS is available. This was issued due to comments from 2016 on CMS 1651-P and 2011 comments submitted in response to Federal Register Request for Comment on alignment under Medicaid and Medicare. While CMS cannot enforce these suggestions, we believe that they would benefit both states and providers.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (October 31, 2016)—CMS issued a final rule last week, covering end-stage renal care and changes to the DME competitive bidding program. Provisions of interest to the home medical equipment community include:
Bid Ceilings—Bid ceilings for future rounds will be based on the 2015 fee unadjusted fee schedule, instead of CMS's earlier proposal to establish bid ceilings at the current CBA pricing.
INDIANPOLIS (October 13, 2016)—Cryogenic Solutions, LLC, acquired Inventory Solutions, Inc. a national supplier of refurbished respiratory products to the home medical equipment (HME) industry.
CLEVELAND, Ohio (October 12, 2016)—Compass Health Brands announced the acquisition of the Professional Medical Imports Division (PMI) and the ProBasics brand from Invacare Corporation. ProBasics, a line of durable medical equipment (DME), has long been Invacare’s value brand for home medical equipment (HME) providers who are seeking quality DME products at a price that supports today’s reimbursement environment.
WATERLOO, Iowa (September 7, 2016)—VGM’s Government Relations team is spearheading a grassroots effort to recruit hospital executives to join the fight against Medicare’s most recent cut to reimbursements.
On July 1 DME providers incurred an additional 25 percent cut for Medicare reimbursements due to the Competitive Bidding Program. Many sectors across the health care industry are feeling the aftershock of difficulties stemming from the DME industry.
LENEXA, Kan. (August 31, 2016)—Mediware Information Systems, Inc., is hosting a free webinar for attendees on Tuesday, September 20 at 12 p.m. CST, 1 p.m. EST to discuss if providers should further pursue cash sales and stay competitive by becoming a non-participating Medicare provider.
MEDIA, Penn. (July 26, 2016)—Apacheta Corporation, a mobile business-solutions provider, today announced the company has nearly doubled its customer base and increased revenue by 75 percent since June 2015.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 7, 2016)—The American Association for Homecare (AAHomecare) has commissioned Dobson DaVanzo & Associates, LLC to conduct a full study of suppliers’ fixed and variable costs for furnishing the services associated with supplying durable medical equipment. While limited cost study analyses have been performed in the past, this will be the first to consider DME in multiple categories that are under threat by competitive bidding pricing.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 6, 2016)—The Council for Quality Respiratory Care (CQRC)—a coalition of the nation’s home oxygen therapy providers and manufacturing companies—commended Congressman Tom Price (R-GA), David Loebsack (D-IA), Cathy McMorris-Rogers (R-WA), Peter Welch (D-VT) and their colleagues in the United States House of Representatives, for passing the Patient Access to Durable Medical Equipment (PADME) Act (H.R.
