Archive: October 2011

LEBANON, Ore. - When provider Anne Turner added diabetes supplies to her product mix this summer she found a ready pool of customers: her CPAP patients. "With awareness and the growth of obesity, diabetes and (sleep apnea), we feel we can touch more of the patient population by incorporating the two," said Turner, president of A Turning Leaf. A Turning Leaf celebrated its one-year-anniversary in September. The company has seven employees and Turner's husband has been able to join as a full time...

Like the bariatric, ostomy and urological product categories, incontinence is a condition that no one likes to talk about--least of all those who suffer from the disorder. Providers serving this market are careful to use sensitivity and discretion with these customers as adult diapers and catheters are typically furnished in packages with plain brown wrappers. But while the subject may be embarrassing, could its image be changed with some dynamic marketing the same way that certain prescription...

CHANGING PERCEPTIONS 'Normalizing' incontinence: Urinary dysfunction is an affliction that no one likes to talk about, let alone admit they have. But a dynamic marketing campaign by the pharmaceutical industry has turned erectile dysfunction into a major business while removing the stigma associated with the condition. Some believe that a similar initiative could do the same for the incontinence market. FAVORABLE NUMBERS Demand uptick: Research shows that as the baby boomers continue to enter...

SUNRISE, Fla. - HME providers know consultant Louis Feuer best for his energetic appearances at industry events, where he doles out sales, marketing and customer service advice. Now he also has something tangible to offer them. Feuer recently launched MedComment Center, a system that allows HME providers to automate the process of gathering, summarizing and analyzing customer feedback. To meet accreditation requirements, providers must survey their customers. "Most providers do the surveys, but...

WATERLOO, Iowa - HQAA planned a "soft launch" for a new accreditation program specifically for third-party billing companies at Medtrade in October. HQAA, one of 10 agencies approved by Medicare to accredit HME providers, completed beta testing for the new program with a handful of billing companies in September. "This is part of our continued effort in accreditation in the chain between the patient and Medicare," said Mary Nicholas, executive director. HQAA developed the standards for the program...

When CMS on Aug. 19 announced the affected zip codes and product categories for Round 2 of competitive bidding, HME providers had a lot to digest. Here's what two of them said. Sandra Hoskin president, American Medical Equipment, Houston "My reaction to that is I want a Zoloft. This program is the biggest farce in this profession and I've been at it for the past 30 years. I know I have to move forward on this, and I plan on bidding, but to date, I've attended one seminar. We'll bid on everything....

High turnover and low productivity among employees could signal deeper problems within an organization, say human resource experts. Ana McGary, president of PeopleFirst Enterprises, and Frank Margulis, owner of Margin Consultants, spoke to HME News TV recently about why it's important to keep employees happy. Organizational dysfunction You might have the right people on board, but if they are in the wrong position or are overwhelmed, then you've got a problem, says Margulis. "They are going to...

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Medi-Cal, California's Medicaid program, is less and less of a viable business for providers, they say. In June, Gov. Jerry Brown signed a state budget that includes an across-the-board cut of 10% to all Medi-Cal providers, including HME providers, physicians and hospitals. The cut was slated to go into effect July 1, but CMS needs to approve it first. State officials estimate the cut would save $623 million. "A big provider group met with (CMS Acting Administrator) Donald...

By Theresa Flaherty, Managing Editor TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - HME stakeholders here are trying to make sure that providers don't get left out when the state starts using managed care organizations for all of its Medicaid recipients. "We have opened a dialogue with the insurance industry," said Sean Schwinghammer, executive director of the Florida Alliance of Home Care Services. "We are doing what we can to move things forward in a proper way." In May, state lawmakers passed two bills to expand  Florida's...

YARMOUTH, Maine - It's not the first time HME providers have felt like they landed on the short end of the stick when it comes to accreditation. Several years ago, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) came close to limiting providers to being accredited by one accreditation agency. The VA ultimately decided providers could be accredited by any agency, but that the agency's standards had to at least meet the Joint Commission's standards. What's been the impact of that requirement? "We still...