Archive: 2017
The year in review: Escalating turmoil, relief efforts dominate headlines
December 29, 2017HME News Staff
YARMOUTH, Maine - Moves by managed care organizations to send more Medicaid business to large distributors was the most read story of 2017 at HME News.Here's that story, and nine other most read stories for 2017:#1States move to single-source more and more DME'They're commoditizing this portion of health care, and it's scary to think about how far they'll take it'YARMOUTH, Maine - Distributors have been picking up Medicaid contracts for incontinence supplies in a number of states for years....
Game changer: LOONZ clears assessment hurdles
December 29, 2017Liz Beaulieu, Editor
BURNET, Texas - With a Bluetooth-enabled specialty drive control and now a video game that can be used as a training and assessment tool, Gabriel Romero feels like Stealth Products is finally in a place where it's keeping up with mainstream technology.
“My background is in computer science, so anything involving programming or electronics in our industry, I've taken to,” said Romero, vice president of sales and marketing for Stealth Products, a division of Quantum...
In brief: Coloplast buys another provider, Medline triples footprint
December 29, 2017HME News Staff
MINNEAPOLIS - Coloplast, which has its U.S. headquarters here but is based in Denmark, announced this month that it has acquired SAS Lilial for a cash consideration of EUR 35.5m or DKK 264m.Lilial is a privately owned French company that distributes catheter and ostomy supplies nationally. It provides patients with products from several different manufacturers, including Coloplast.“The acquisition of SAS Lilial is part of our strategy of pursuing inorganic opportunities to accelerate...
New audit software helps to identify potential problems
December 29, 2017Jeff Rowe
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - It's no secret that audits, and all the administrative complexities that accompany them, have been the bane of the HME industry for years. But a recently formed partnership between HME stakeholders aims to change that.Dubbed RxCloud9, LLC, the partnership between HME business owners and a HME billing software developer is poised to release a software package that aims to simplify—and, more importantly, clarify—the audit process.“The value in this product...
HIPAA Security: Assess additional security needs
December 29, 2017Ebba Blitz
A. The GDPR, effective May 25, 2018, requires a number of new data protection obligations for everyone who does business in and with the European Union. EU data protection law will extend to all foreign companies processing the data of EU residents.One of the key requirements is that SMBs must have a technical solution in place and organizational measures that demonstrate compliance.Another important change is the replacement of the Safe Harbor by Privacy Shieldwhich...
Consider us 'woke'
December 29, 2017Theresa Flaherty, Managing Editor
One of the many tasks the editors at HME News field is drumming up a newspoll each month. Sometimes the questions are better than others, and sometimes what seemed like a great question, on second read, after the poll already goes out, seem obvious.
This month's topic, Amazon, definitely generated lots of comments on the impact of the Amazon effect.
“Amazon's suicide pricing will (if unchecked) destroy our industry exactly like they destroyed the retail industry.”
For this, and other...
Oxygen Management: Weigh costs of delivery model
December 29, 2017George Coppola
A. With the recent cuts in reimbursement, home care providers are looking to get every penny out of every transaction. Taking advantage of an oxygen non-delivery model eliminates service costs for the provider and puts them in position to thrive in the low reimbursement era. Most manufacturers have designed products and crafted programs designed to make this possible for providers. A good option to convert an existing fleet is to look into the pricing options on bundling portable and stationary...
Machine learning: Match patient with provider
December 29, 2017Steve Wogen
A. Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning have been integrated in our daily lives from social media interactions, retail shopping and now healthcare. Unlike the retail industry, where ads are triggered based on a web user's interest, the healthcare industry uses predictive analysis to learn more about patients and improve their health outcomes, which in turn can lead to cost savings. Machine learning platforms help identify potential issues or gaps in care. By doing this, we can...
Enter Amazon? Negative impact would be felt far and wide, say poll respondents
December 29, 2017Theresa Flaherty, Managing Editor
YARMOUTH, Maine - Unsurprisingly, a large majority of providers fear the “Amazon effect” on the DME market, according to the results of a recent HME Newspoll.While Amazon already offers basic DME, the retail giant has reportedly applied for wholesale distribution licenses in more than a dozen states for “durable medical equipment distribution, medical gas distribution, or both,” according to multiple news reports. “I don't like things such as oxygen being offered...
Specialization pays off for ISS
December 29, 2017Liz Beaulieu, Editor
VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Exhibit space for the upcoming International Seating Symposium is such a hot commodity that there are 40-plus companies on a waiting list.Exhibit space for ISS, March 6-9, at The Westin Bayshore, here, is locked in at 75 companies, including Inspired by Drive, Permobil and Invacare.Maureen Story, who co-chairs the committee charged with planning ISS, spoke with HME News about why the event, which hops between Canada and the U.S. each year, has seen such dynamic growth.HME...