HME

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (February 10, 2021)—Aeroflow Healthcare, a provider of durable medical equipment (DME), announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire West Virginia based Family Medical Supply.

ORLANDO, Fla., (February 4, 2021)—AeroCare Holdings, Inc. announced that it has been acquired by AdaptHealth Corp. The acquisition was consummated for total consideration consisting of approximately $1.1 billion in cash and 31 million shares of AdaptHealth stock.

WASHINGTON, D.C.

HICKORY, N.C. (January 28, 2021)—Hickory Springs Manufacturing Company (HSM) has appointed Justin Ferdinand vice president and general manager of its Parks Healthcare Products business.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (January 22, 2021)—Earlier this month, outgoing HHS Secretary Alex Azar announced that the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) declaration would be renewed for an additional 90-day term, effective January 21. The extension keeps significant measures of COVID-19 relief for our industry in effect until at least April 21, 2021, including: 

MESA, Ariz. (January 19, 2021)—Phoenix-based Valley Medical Supplies has been acquired by Copper Star Home Medical Supplies (Mesa, Arizona). With this acquisition, Valley Medical and Copper Star will combine their business models. Current Copper Star president and owner Korry Johnston will remain in his position.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (January 15, 2021)—The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has finalized a signature accomplishment of the new Office of Burden Reduction & Health Informatics (OBRHI). This final rule builds on the efforts to drive interoperability, empower patients, and reduce costs and burden in the health care market by promoting secure electronic access to health data in new and innovative ways.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (January 13, 2021)—On January 8, the State of Tennessee announced that its “block grant” waiver request for TennCare (the state Medicaid program) was approved by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) after a year of negotiation. This new agreement will allow TennCare to administer the program with less oversight from the federal government and is intended to give more flexibility.

Technology is changing the way home-based care providers operate. The right platform can streamline everything from order management to paperwork. That was the vision CEO Vijay Kedar had for the technology-driven home health platform, Tomorrow Health.

MELVILLE, N.Y. (January 6, 2021)—Henry Schein, Inc., the world’s largest provider of health care solutions to office-based dental and medical practitioners, today announced the acquisition of a majority ownership position in Prism Medical Products, LLC (PRISM), a nationwide provider of specialty home medical supplies with a core competency in advanced wound care products. With this transaction, Henry Schein Medical, the U.S.

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. (January 4, 2021)—Numotion, a national provider of products and services that help enable mobility, health and personal independence, has acquired Wheeler’s Medical Supply, a well-respected provider of intermittent catheters and incontinence supplies based in Jacksonville, Florida with a presence in Georgia.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (December 21, 2020)—A broad COVID-19 relief legislative package finalized by House and Senate leaders includes provisions to address a Medicare payment disparity for oxygen products in rural areas stemming from the application of outdated budget neutrality provisions in the 1997 Balanced Budget Act.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (December 18, 2020)—The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has published the CY 2021 Medicare Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics and Supplies (DMEPOS) Fee Schedule. As of Jan. 1, 2021, CMS will continue to apply the CARES Act relief rates for rural and nonrural areas.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (December 17, 2020)—AAHomecare joined the Home Medical Equipment and Services Association of New England (HOMES) in commenting on Medicaid rate analysis commissioned by the Maine Department of Health and Human Services to help guide future rate-setting efforts. The joint comments take issue with the choice of states used for comparison purposes, noting significant differences in the service areas and Medicaid program operating structures versus those in Maine.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (December 4, 2020)—Reps. Brad Schneider (D-Illinois) and David McKinley (R-West Virginia ) have introduced legislation to prevent Medicare reimbursement cuts to health care providers through the duration of the COVID-19 public health emergency. The Medicare Sequester COVID Moratorium Act (H.R. 8840) would continue a pause of 2% Medicare sequester cuts through the duration of the public health emergency. In March, Congress halted the 2% sequester cuts through Dec.