Archive: August 2002

(Editor's note: As the industry battles to beat back competitive bidding, HME News will profile from time to time providers who, for whatever reason, don't fear the reimbursement cut.) TUCSON, Ariz. - Gerald Long suspects he could triple or even quadruple his income if he accepted Medicare assignment or did business with other insurers. But, he said, who needs the headache? "Everyone I've known over the last 18 years who is small and has gotten into Medicare, Medicaid or private insurance are out...

WASHINGTON - A new report on Medicare recommends more money be funneled to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, but that doesn't mean HME providers should get their hopes up for higher reimbursement. At first glance, one could conceivably get that impression because the 18-month study advocates funding hikes for the program. But upon closer inspection, it's clear that's not the case. Instead, a blue-ribbon panel convened by the National Academy of Social Insurance gives a ringing endorsement...

ATLANTA - With a nod toward the industry's increasingly clinical bent and attendant need for education, Medtrade has refined its seminars this year to meet the needs of companies that "have gone out of their way to hire RTs, PTs, OTs and nurses," said Louis Feuer, the show's director of education. "Our goal is to bring comprehensive education to everyone in an HME provider's business," said Cory Smith, director of sales for VNU Expositions, which produces Medtrade. "Eventually, we want to be to...

CLEARWATER, Fla. - While potential cuts to Medicare Part B raise red flags for some stock analysts following Lincare, that's not the case for stock picker Rich Moroney. According to Moroney: "Probably the biggest risk facing Lincare is the company's exposure to Medicare-reimbursed respiratory medications, which comprise about 20% of sales. Some reduction is expected in the reimbursement rates that Medicare provides for Part B, drugs. While Lincare's management does not expect Congress to act this...

It just got easier to take this walk on the HIPAA trial. The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), now referred to by the foes of competitive bidding as The Destroyer of Homecare Health Services (DHHS written in dark, sinister letters), has made some modifications to the HIPAA Privacy Rule. As mentioned in last month's article, the published rule requires healthcare providers to keep patients advised on how their health information, or protected health information (PHI), is being used....

When it comes to selling companion products for wheelchairs, successful providers say the first rule is to let patients know the items are available to them. Therefore, merchandising plays a critical role in garnering these extra sales, they say. Whether it be interactive ramp exhibits, dressed-out display chairs or kiosk racks, those who are serious about tapping into the potential for wheelchair accessory sales need to showcase these products in an attention-getting way. "You need to promote...

Permobil C2K Corpus - Drive: front - Size: 43 x 26 x 40 inches - Weight capacity: 220-265 pounds - Top speed: 5 mph - Turning radius: 26 inches - Range on full charge: 19-25 miles - Special feature: independent suspension for each wheel - Warranty: 2 years C.T.M HS-5600 - Drive: rear - Size: 38.7 inches x 24 inches x 45.3 inches - Weight capacity: 350 pounds - Top speed: 5 mph - Range on full charge: 25 miles - Special feature: Swing-away, joystick controller - Warranty: 36 months for frame; 12 months...

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. — In what one industry watcher called the "most upbeat" Chapter 11 announcement he'd ever seen, American HomePatient filed for bankruptcy Aug. 1, seeking protection from creditors while reorganizing $275 million in debt. "It is not a situation like some companies with a cash flow problem who rush to Chapter 11 because they need the protection to keep operating," said CEO Joseph Furlong. "We are operating just fine." Furlong termed the bankruptcy filing a "100-percent plan,"...

PLYMOUTH, Minn. - A petition asking Congress to limit Medicare reimbursement for rehab equipment to providers who employ rehab professionals landed in more than 1,500 mailboxes recently. Sponsors of the Re/hab Technology Initiative, Quantum Rehab, Freedom Designs and National Seating & Mobility (NSM), expect recipients of the petitions to collect 100,000 signatures. This fall, the signed petitions will be presented to Congress. Georgia Medicaid looks to raise bar even further ATLANTA - Georgia Medicaid...

BOSTON — About 22% of seniors said that they skipped doses of prescription drugs or did not buy the medications they needed in 2001 because the cost was too high, according to an eight-state survey conducted by researchers at Boston-based Tufts-New England Medical Center, the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Commonwealth Fund. For seniors without prescription drug coverage, the percentage who skipped doses or did not purchase needed drugs was higher, about 35%. Many seniors with severe and...