Archive: October 2009
Sleep rivals collaborate on physician education
October 31, 2009HME News Staff
SAN DIEGO, Ca., and MURRYSVILLE, Pa., - Philips Respironics and ResMed have joined forces and pledged $1 million to help educate primary care physicians about the dangers of obstructive sleep apnea.
"With one in five adults in the U.S. potentially suffering from sleep apnea, and 90% of those undiagnosed, education is critical and ignorance is the main competitor in this marketplace," said JC Kyrillos, ResMed's senior vice president, sales, marketing & clinical education-Americas.
The $1 million will...
Competitive bidding: 'We're pressing the bill as hard as we can'
October 31, 2009HME News Staff
WASHINGTON - The HME industry is running every play in the playbook--calling and visiting legislators; planning press conferences and rallies; and even holding contests--to collect more co-sponsors for a bill that would eliminate national competitive bidding.
"There's a lot of blocking and tackling going on out there," said Michael Reinemer, AAHomecare's vice president of communications and policy.
At press time on Friday, H.R. 3790, introduced by Rep. Kendrick Meek, D-Fla., had 53 co-sponsors. The...
House healthcare reform bill wallops HME
October 31, 2009HME News Staff
WASHINGTON - An $894 billion healthcare reform bill unveiled Thursday by the House of Representatives contains "significant hits" for HME, say industry stakeholders.
Provisions in the Affordable Health Care for America Act, H.R. 3962, target the HME industry for $5 billion to $10 billion in cuts over the next 10 years, says Walt Gorski, vice president of government affairs for AAHomecare.
"All healthcare sectors are being asked to (absorb cuts)," he said. "However, we believe we are being asked to...
Separate benefit for complex rehab: 'We're headed in the right direction'
October 31, 2009HME News Staff
ST. LOUIS - About 50 stakeholders attended a consensus conference here last week to discuss creating a separate benefit for complex rehab.
"We wanted to gather comments from people to see if we're heading in the right direction," said Don Clayback, executive director of NCART. "I think we feel comfortable now, with the feedback we've gotten, that we're headed in the right direction."
During the daylong conference, Clayback and other members of a steering committee updated stakeholders on the efforts...
In brief: CMS notifies beneficiaries; NCB registration to close
October 31, 2009HME News Staff
BALTIMORE - CMS has begun sending notification letters to Medicare beneficiaries who may need to change providers because their current provider has not met accreditation and surety bond requirements. The letter encourages beneficiaries to check with their providers to ensure they meet the requirements, and it offers instructions on finding a new provider if necessary. There are reports, including one from the Midwest Association for Medical Equipment Services (MAMES), that patients of providers...
Like mother, like daughter
October 31, 2009HME News Staff
DALLAS - When provider Vicki Jones first started the Women's Health Boutique franchise in 1988, her young daughter, Crystal, often traveled with her on business. In October, Vicki Jones opened a Dallas location with Crystal, now 24, as its director of marketing.
“I grew up with the Women's Health Boutique,” said Crystal Jones. “As a teen I used to work in the stores during my summers and after school doing admin work.”
Vicki Jones sold the franchise in 1998 but still operates...
'Difficult times make strange bedfellows'
October 30, 2009Liz Beaulieu, Editor
So I spoke with Simon Margolis this morning about yesterday's consensus conference on creating a separate benefit for complex rehab (if you haven't already read my story on the conference, click here). Margolis, executive director of NRRTS, believes it was a momentous occasion. Here's why:
Difficult times make very strange bedfellows. This is the first time—I mean you have to really think about what's happening here—you have AAHomecare, NCART, NRRTS, RESNA and the Clinician Task Force...
Something wicked this way comes
October 30, 2009Theresa Flaherty, Managing Editor
Well, once again it's Halloween and I am trying to decide whether to give out candy (good candy, like Reese's or M&Ms as opposed to say, Bit o' Honey). Maybe a less, shall we say, sugar-chocked item would suffice?
It's not just because, as a person with Type 1 diabetes, I rarely eat the stuff any more and prefer to avoid the temptation (and calories). It's also because I see your kids out there and, well, they don't look like they need it. They're getting bigger everyday. And, before you parents...
CMS hands out supplier numbers 'like crack cocaine on the street corner'
October 29, 2009Mike Moran
I got a salty phone call this afternoon, full of expletives (lots of F-bombs, which I'll denote as #@%&) and disbelief/anger over how inept Medicare is at controlling fraud and abuse.
Virus Undead buy
Here's the deal. This guy, lets call him Lester, has applied for a Medicare supplier number and is nearly finished with accreditation. Last week, he received a letter from CMS, saying the agency is “happy to welcome me as someone who can bill whatever I want to Medicare. Here's your supplier number.”
There's...
Public service message: syringe recall
October 29, 2009Theresa Flaherty, Managing Editor
[Posted 10/27/2009] Qualitest Pharmaceuticals and FDA notified healthcare professionals of a nationwide recall of Accusure Insulin Syringes. All syringes, regardless of lot number, are subject to this recall. These syringes were distributed between January 2002 and October 2009 to wholesale and retail pharmacies nationwide (including Puerto Rico). The syringes in these lots may have needles which detach from the syringe. If the needle becomes detached from the syringe during use, it can become stuck...