durable medical equipment

SUNNYVALE, California & ASHEVILLE, North Carolina—HealthTap, a virtual health care provider, announced its launch into the durable medical equipment (DME) market with its first partner, Aeroflow Health, a provider of home medical equipment and supplies. By joining the DME market, HealthTap aims to help more patients access primary care and DME services. 

NEWARK, New Jersey—United States Attorney Vikas Khanna announced that two Florida men, a father and son duo, were arraigned on charges relating to their roles in a multimillion-dollar durable medical equipment (DME) and prescription drug health care fraud and kickback scheme.

WASHINGTON—The Office of Inspector General (OIG) updated its work plan with two new durable medical equipment, prosthetics/orthotics and supplies-related reviews, the American Association for Homecare wrote in a recent e-newsletter to members. The OIG is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and is an independent office that reviews the department for fraud, waste and abuse.

WATERLOO, Iowa—Leitten Consulting has released a comprehensive report highlighting the critical need for Medicare to shift its focus from competitive bidding to proactive investment in durable medical equipment (DME). The report, authored by Brian Leitten, underscores the cost savings and health benefits of providing timely DME to Medicare beneficiaries. 

MINNEAPOLIS—Tactile Systems Technology Inc., a medical technology company providing therapies for people with chronic disorders, has been approved by the pricing, data analysis and coding (PDAC) contractor for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for the use of health care common procedure coding system (HCPCS) code E0651 for billing the durable medical equipment Medicare administrative contractors for its pneumatic compression platform, “Nimbl.”

SALT LAKE CITY—Matia Mobility, a durable medical equipment company, has been granted a health care common procedure coding system (HCPCS) code for their “Tek” robotic mobilization device (RMD) by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

IRVINE, California—Masimo, a medical innovation company, announced its partnership with Google to develop a new reference platform for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) building Google’s “Wear OS” smartwatches. The partnership will incorporate Masimo’s biosensing technologies and standardized smartwatch devices using the Masimo reference platform, enabling OEMs to build and bring Wear OS smartwatches to the market. 

NEWARK, New Jersey—A Connecticut man has admitted his role in a multimillion-dollar durable medical equipment (DME) health care fraud and kickback scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna.

TORONTO, Ontario—Therma Bright Inc., a developer and investment partner in proprietary diagnostic and medical device technologies, announced it's Venowave VW5 has received the permanent health care common procedure coding system (HCPCS) code from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

CAMDEN, New Jersey—In a commitment to furthering its partnership with Cooper University Health Care and bolstering essential services for the Camden community, Subaru of America, Inc., has announced its continued support of $30,000 for durable medical equipment (DME) and transportation services to continue to fuel Cooper's mission.

SWEDEN—On August 5, 2024, Breas Medical initiated a U.S. nationwide correction of 8,186 Vivo 45 LS ventilator devices. Internal testing of the ventilator identified the potential for short-term elevated levels of formaldehyde exposure to users under specific conditions. 

SPOKANE, Washington—Justin Leland has agreed to pay $224,620.88 to resolve allegations he participated in a kick-back scheme to bill Medicare for medically unnecessary durable medical equipment (DME).

LOS ANGELES—The owner of a tattoo removal business in South Gate pleaded guilty to federal criminal charges for recruiting paraplegics in a health care fraud scheme that netted more than $1.7 million and for cheating on his taxes.

Joseph Tusia, 60, of Leominster, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty to a two-count information charging him with health care fraud and tax evasion.

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minnesota—Optum Insight launched DME Navigator, an end-to-end solution for durable medical equipment (DME) benefits management that will speed the process of delivering durable medical equipment to patients who need it, while improving health outcomes and reducing costs, Optum said.

HOBOKEN, New Jersey—Remote care solutions company Essence SmartCare, part of Essence Group, announced the integration of its Umbrella mPERS device with major North American monitoring service providers Affiliated Monitoring,

CHICAGO, Illinois—The office manager for a suburban Chicago medical equipment boutique has been indicted on federal health care fraud charges for allegedly billing private insurers for products that were never provided, including breast prostheses, compression garments and wigs for cancer survivors.

TOLEDO, Ohio—Ankita Singh, 42, formerly of Maumee, Ohio, was sentenced to 26 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Jack Zouhary, for her role in a durable medical equipment (DME) scheme that defrauded the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Medicare Program. She was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $4,470,931.02, serve two years of supervised release and pay a special assessment fee of $600.

MONROE, Lousiana—United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that criminal charges have been filed against a West Monroe man in connection with an alleged durable medical equipment (DME) scheme to defraud Medicare. The charges filed in federal court are part of the Department of Justice’s 2024 National Health Care Fraud Enforcement Action.

HARTFORD, Connecticut—CareCentrix, a home-centered care company, announced the launch of DME Navigator. This next-generation durable medical equipment (DME) benefits management solution brings together industry capabilities. Through a new collaboration with a leading information and technology-enabled health services company, this integrated solution modernizes the delivery of DME by enhancing efficiency, reducing costs of care and improving health outcomes.

MONTVALE, New Jersey—Dynarex Corporation, a premier provider of durable medical equipment (DME) and disposable medical products, announced the opening of its expansive new warehouse in the Town of Wallkill (Middletown), New York.