Archive: September 2007
National parks boast wheelchair-accessible trails
September 30, 2007HME News Staff
WASHINGTON - The National Park Service has a new online resource that lists wheelchair-accessible trails and activities like museum exhibits, according to the Associated Press. The park service recently dedicated a wheelchair-accessible trail on Mount Independence in Vermont in July. The 1.6-mile trail has gentle grades and packed surfaces, making it accessible to wheelchairs.
Ron Richard: Marketing maestro
September 30, 2007HME News Staff
As you might expect, Ron Richard couldn't be more bullish on the future of portable oxygen concentrators. In July, Richard left ResMed, where he served most recently as senior vice president of strategic marketing for the Americas, and joined SeQual Technologies, maker of the 17-pound Eclipse, the only POC on the market with continuous flow. When Richard joined ResMed eight years ago, the sleep manufacturer had good products, a good brand and a good reputation, but it was very engineering focused....
The good, the bad and the surety bond
September 30, 2007HME News Staff
WASHINGTON - CMS should not make providers with good track records obtain surety bonds, says AAHomecare.
Instead, the agency should require only providers who pose a risk to get a $65,000 surety bond for each of their national provider identification numbers (NPI).
Congress mandated the surety bond requirement in The Balanced Budget Act of 1997 (BBA). CMS issued a proposed rule in 1998, but never finalized it. The agency initiated a new rulemaking proceeding in August.
AAHomecare said the new...
Prosthetics Center strides forward
September 30, 2007HME News Staff
HOUSTON, Texas - Gone are the days when the town blacksmith crafted rudimentary replacement limbs, said Rhonda Turner, a certified orthotist, prosthetist and founder of The Prosthetic Center, which was recently named one of Houston's fast-growing women-owned businesses.
"It's still a good ol' boys field, but it's changing," said Turner. "(Being women-owned) has allowed us to pursue a different kind of direction in certain things."
Nationally, there are approximately 5,000 board-certified orthotists...
Fair game
September 30, 2007HME News Staff
DES MOINES, Iowa - Alongside the cotton candy and Ferris wheels at Iowa's state fair in August, visitors checked out various DME at Hammer Medical's booth.
"I would say scooters are the No. 1 thing of interest and CPAP is No. 2," said Terry Flatt, vice president and co-owner. "We get a lot of interest in what we do and how it's done."
This is the sixth year Hammer has operated a fair booth. Hammer puts an insert in the local newspaper two days before the fair starts and is listed in a daily calendar...
Accreditation gets a pass, too
September 30, 2007HME News Staff
Independent pharmacists who haven't begun the accreditation process see CMS's continual pushing back of accreditation deadlines as an excuse to procrastinate, said industry consultant Bob Weir.
"It's human nature to put it off," said Weir, who's also a surveyor for HQAA. "A lot of pharmacies think it's like getting a certificate from a shoe manufacturer," he said. "They don't understand it's a whole process."
To help rectify that, the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) has reached...
On alert: CMS opens new fraud office
September 30, 2007HME News Staff
NEW YORK - CMS opened a new office in New York City to track down fraud and abuse, especially for home medical equipment, providers learned after reading a recent newspaper column.
Members of the New York Medical Equipment Association (NYMEP) weren't notified by CMS about the new office, according to Carol Napierski, executive director.
"I found out about it when one of our members let me know it was in the newspaper," she said. "We know very little about it. We're not sure if it's a strategic move...
Pride prez plans run for U.S. Congress
September 30, 2007HME News Staff
EXETER, Pa. - Pride Mobility Products President Dan Meuser put the rumors to bed last month and confirmed that he plans to run for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.
“I love the idea of public service, of helping people,” Meuser said. “And I love the idea of helping our industry. I do believe that what we do (as an industry) is cost effective, beneficial to seniors and the disabled who choose to use our products and stay in their homes. All the things we advocate for,...
Entrepreneur finds success very liberating
September 30, 2007HME News Staff
STUART, Fla. - Seven years ago, Mark Libratore left his job in an effort to satisfy his entrepreneurial spirit, launching Liberator Medical Supply. In June, he took his company public.
"There's a certain excitement you have when everything is on the line and you're trying to run your business," said Libratore.
Before starting Liberator, Libratore worked for diabetes mail order giant, Liberty Medical. A five-year non-compete clause in the diabetes arena forced him to develop other lines including...
Cuts strain provider, therapist relations
September 30, 2007HME News Staff
The complex relationship between rehab providers and physical and occupational therapists has always been a loaded one. But one industry source, who's involved in both communities, recently said: "It's as ugly as I've seen it in my career."
Last year, CMS cut reimbursement for power mobility devices, on average, by 27%, making it more difficult for therapists to get the wheelchair that best meets their client's needs and providers to get that--and a reasonable profit.
"It's unfortunate that we're...