Archive: February 2008

MENTOR, Ohio - M.C. Mobility Systems made its wheelchair-accessible vans available for daily, weekly or monthly rentals over the holiday season. "Holiday travel is difficult for everyone, particularly for those who require specialized equipment in order for them to drive," said Owner Carmen Paterniti. "That is why our wheelchair accessible van rental service is so important, especially at the time of year when people are trying to get home to their families." M.C. Mobility also sells and rents related...

INDIANAPOLIS - Despite an 11th hour effort in December to convince state officials to hold off on implementing its new Medicaid contracts for incontinence supplies, providers here conceded the program was most likely a "done deal." Still, the industry created some noise, said George Kucka, executive director of the Association of Indiana Home Medical Equipment Services (AIHMES). "We've got some support going forward to put together some legislation to prevent this from happening with other categories,"...

Here are a few things industry attorneys are seeing more and more of in the field. Neil Caesar, Health Law Center, Greenville, S.C. * When it comes to joint ventures involving non-Medicare patients, DMEs still need to be aware of federal anti-fraud rules if "any aspect of the private relationship suggests that it is in whole or in part designed to get Medicare referrals." If, for example, a DME gives a doctor an extra special discount or some other "special consideration," expect the feds to take...

Q. You've discussed the different components of lean thinking, but how do we get started? A. Before implementing a lean program, you and your employees must understand what lean thinking is all about. A lean value stream focuses on reducing the waste identified in the current business operations. It may include reduced keystrokes, reduced steps, more use of technology or redesigned work spaces. But lean is not just about tools or an established set of procedures. It is a thought process more than...

WELLS, Maine - Amy Kelly just learned she owes $13,000 in taxes for DME like hospital beds, the result of state audits putting providers between a rock and a hard place when it comes to deciphering whether an item is taxable. "The law is unclear for use tax and sales tax," said Kelly, vice president and owner of Prime Care. "I plan to appeal, but in the meantime, I think it would be prudent to send them some money." New England Medical Equipment Dealers in January sent a letter to the Maine Revenue...

As advances in breast cancer treatment reshape the model of women's health boutiques, providers must change with it, say industry leaders. It is no longer enough to stock a few prostheses and a limited selection of post-surgical garments and bras. A well-appointed women's health boutique stocks an array of items ranging from breast pumps and prenatal vitamins to turbans and high-quality wigs alongside more traditional post-mastectomy products. Drawing in younger women builds loyaltv--and future sales,...

NORCROSS, Ga. - While many providers waffle over the value of outsourcing such obvious tasks as billing, Extracare embraces it as part of an aggressive growth strategy. "In any small business, you decide what's important to be successful, and then decide which ones you are likely to do well yourself," said Scott Lloyd, president of the three-year-old respiratory company. "We feel competent in our ability to develop and manage a great sales force, customer and clinical service, and delivery." Among...

ATLANTA - Medicare may have dropped its requirement that independent ATPs conduct evaluations for complex power wheelchairs, but Georgia Medicaid still has its eye on the prize. When Medicare announced plans to implement the requirement, Georgia Department of Community Health soon followed suit, announcing the same requirement for Medicaid. Recently, Georgia Medicaid pushed back the deadline to April 1, 2009. "We feel we have developed reasonable expectations for performance," said Patricia Ross,...

With the passing of Lisa Thomas-Payne Jan. 10, a significant era in the HME industry officially ended. As close to a superstar as one can get in the decidedly unglamorous world of healthcare billing, Lisa had the magic ability to give a dry topic sex appeal. She had all the attributes of a compelling speaker--dynamic, articulate, passionate and animated, as well as being easy on the eyes. But her true strength was the seemingly infinite depth of her knowledge when it came to Medicare Part B billing...

ATLANTA - Invacare's CFO Greg Thompson will do just fine in his new position as CFO of Georgia Gulf Corp. According to Georgia Gulf's report to the Securities and Exchange Commission: Thompson will be paid an annual base salary of $430,000. He'll have an annual bonus target of $279,000 (65% of his base salary)--with a minimum payout of $167,700 (60%) and a maximum payout of $559,000 (200%), depending on whether the company meets certain financial goals. Thompson also will get a combination of restricted...