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Archive: 2002


News

Arkansas Medicaid patients gain control

December 31, 2002HME News Staff

WASHINGTON - HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson recently approved a request by Arkansas to expand a Medicaid demonstration that allows eligible beneficiaries with long-term disabilities to directly control their personal care services and expenses. Under the Arkansas program, “In dependent Choices,” Medicaid beneficiaries who qualify for personal care services because of long-term disabilities can choose to receive a monthly allowance for those costs rather than traditional agency-provided...

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Acquisition

December 31, 2002HME News Staff

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Allied Capital Corp launched its second foray into the HME market last month, and if this deal turns out as well as the company's first HME venture, stockholders in the $2.3 billion investment company will be jumping for joy. Allied first entered the HME market about two years ago, when it invested $7.5 million in American Homecare Supply, which industrial gas giant Air Products acquired in October for a whopping $165 million. Last month, Allied and four other investors acquired...

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Report: Managed care’s image improving

December 31, 2002HME News Staff

ROCHESTER, N.Y. - Between 1995 and 2000, hostility and criticism of managed care increased annually. But since 2000, public attitudes toward managed care have improved slightly, according to a new report by Harris Interactive. These are some findings: - Those who believe the trend to managed care is bad declined from 52% in 2000 to 44% in 2002, while those who think it's a good thing remained at 36%; and - Those who believe managed care will “harm the quality of medical care” declined...

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Nationals report financial gains

December 31, 2002HME News Staff

Apria LAKE FOREST, Calif. - Apria's net revenues for the third quarter ended Sept. 30, 2002, increased 10% to $312 million from $284 million for the third quarter of 2001. As of Sept. 30, net accounts receivable were $176.7 million and net days sales outstanding (DSOs) were 51 days. For the nine-month period ended Sept. 30, net income increased 30% to $75.6 million. Net income for the nine-month period in 2001 was $51.9 million. Net revenues for the nine-month period were $923.8 million, a 10% increase...

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Respironics flexes CPAP

December 31, 2002HME News Staff

MURRYSVILLE, Pa. - A new CPAP technology that provides pressure relief during exhalation is being touted by some as the most significant basic “box” breakthrough in years, if not ever. Developed by Respironics and now equipped on every REMStar Pro CPAP machine, the new C-Flex technology tracks a patient's breathing and, during exhalation, lowers the amount of pressure delivered. The ramp-down is not as precipitous as a bi-level drop, but the perception of relief, even from a layman's...

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Wheelchair demo gets off ground

December 31, 2002HME News Staff

WASHINGTON - The wheelchair voucher demonstration, which was set to take off last summer, is now getting off the ground, because CMS has had bigger fish to fry. CMS has granted four Centers for Independent Living (CIL) $150,000 to school beneficiaries on how to chose a wheelchair and how to negotiate its price. It then directed the centers to provide beneficiaries with a voucher to purchase a wheelchair from a provider. But industry sources said the three-year demo - dubbed the consumer-directed...

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Are providers skirting the law in Ga.?

December 31, 2002HME News Staff

ATLANTA - A year after Georgia Medicaid began requiring that professionals who fit custom wheelchairs and seating systems be members of NRRTS, it looks like there are providers trying to skirt the requirement. Several members of NRRTS have contacted the organization, saying that some rehab providers who aren't NRRTS members have asked them to sign evaluations for them. “There's no evidence that any of our members have even considered it,” said Dave Kruse, president of NRRTS. “They...

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Nasal cannulas gain traction

December 31, 2002HME News Staff

YORBA LINDA, Calif. - The nasal cannula market for sleep therapy that Innomed's Nasal Aire tapped earlier this year has spawned its first alternative in Viasys Healthcare's Spiritus. Recently unveiled at a European trade show, the new CPAP interface, according to providers who've seen it, looks a lot like the Innomed device except that the cannula is not worn over the ears but hangs from the headgear like a goatee. Viasys says the big difference between its interface and Innomed's is size. “We're...

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CMS will flag LMRP denials for bennies

December 31, 2002HME News Staff

WASHINGTON -  As a consequence of a class-action lawsuit that pits CMS against Medicare beneficiaries, CMS has agreed to notify beneficiaries when Medicare denies a claim using a Local Medical Review Policy (LMRP). Starting Jan. 1, all denials that result from LMRP must provide a message to beneficiaries, citing the fact that an LMRP was applied to their denial and directing Medicare beneficiaries to customer service for more information on the LMRP in question. Reimbursement experts are...

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Reimbursement

December 31, 2002HME News Staff

CMNs and audits WITH JEANIE LANE Q. What are the regulations for a DMERC CMN in the event of a Medicare audit? A: Medicare requires version .02 CMNs for all claims received on or after Aug. 1, 1996. When a CMN is submitted with a paper claim, the hard copy must be an exact reproduction of the CMS format. CMS issued a memorandum stating the supplier may use an electronic CMN. It also stated that the CMN can be a fax or photocopy. However, CMS states in the program integrity manual and the DMERC...

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