In brief: AAHomecare folds in AMEPA, Scooter Store still seeks buyer

WASHINGTON. - AMEPA merged with AAHomecare on Aug. 1, adding 150 members to the association's rolls for a total of about 850. Rob Brant, president of AMEPA, will become director of industry relations at AAHomecare. He will focus on growing membership, fostering relationships with state associations, and developing grassroots advocates across the country. Brant helped to form AMEPA in 2008, after widespread reports by providers in Round 1 competitive bidding areas that they were wrongly disqualified. Since then, AMEPA has worked on a host of industry issues, often in conjunction with AAHomecare. “As a durable medical equipment company owner, I know that there are more threats to homecare businesses than just the bidding program, and that is why AMEPA is joining forces with AAHomecare,” stated Brant in a press release. NAIMES merged with AAHomecare in May, adding about 140 members to the association's rolls.

Scooter Store: Auction postponed, buyer still sought

NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas - The Scooter Store's bankruptcy auction, originally set for Aug. 6, will now be held Sept. 23, according to Law360. A Delaware bankruptcy judge on July 31 gave The Scooter Store permission to use its cash collateral to fund its own case in Chapter 11, rather than using a $10 million debtor-in-possession package. The move is intended to save The Scooter Store money and buy additional time to line up a buyer, Law360 reported. The new timeline establishes a Sept. 19 bid deadline and a Sept. 24 sale hearing.

Record quarter, year for ResMed

SAN DIEGO - ResMed this week reported revenue of $414.6 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2013, an 11% increase over the same quarter last year. GAAP net income for the quarter was $73 million or $.50 cents per share. Revenue for the year ended June 30, 2013, was $1.5 billion, an increase of 11% over last year. “In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2013 we showed strong year-over-year growth on both top and bottom lines,” said CEO Mick Farrell in a release. “Revenue in the Americas increased by 11% over the prior year's quarter.”

Roscoe Medical under new private equity ownership

STRONGSVILLE, Ohio - Roscoe Medical has finalized a recapitalization with Tenex Capital Management, a private equity investment group in New York, the manufacturer and distributor announced July 30. Roscoe Medical's current management team, led by President and CEO Paul Guth, will remain in place. “This is a great fit for Roscoe Medical, and another chapter in the growth story of the company,” he stated in a press release. Currently, Roscoe Medical serves more than 3,100 customers with 89 full-time employees in four locations. It manufactures and distributes everything from respiratory therapy to HME to pain management products. Tenex Capital Management invests in middle-market companies experiencing significant change in their markets, operations or capital structure, according to the group's web site. Previously, Roscoe Medical was owned by River Associates, a private equity investment group in Chattanooga, Tenn.

Rep. Welch introduces diabetes bill

WASHINGTON - Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt., on July 26 introduced H.R. 2845, a bill that would allow community pharmacies to deliver diabetes supplies to Medicare beneficiaries. As of July 1, when the national mail-order program started, only contract suppliers can ship or deliver supplies to beneficiaries. In May, Welch, who has championed community pharmacy in the past, sent a letter to CMS Administrator Marilyn Tavenner expressing concerns about the impact of the program on beneficiaries in rural areas. That letter was signed by 42 other representatives.

AAHomecare reestablishes audit task force

WASHINGTON - AAHomecare's Regulatory Council has resurrected its audit task force, the association said in a recent newsletter. Task force members represent “a broad cross-section of association members,” stated AAHomecare. During its first conference call, the task force redrafted a strategic plan for tackling audit issues. AAHomecare members will be able to download the finalized plan from the Regulatory Council page on the AAHomecare website by mid-August. The task force is also in the process of completing checklists for providers to use internally to track audits.

MACs join forces to reduce denials

WASHINGTON - The Part A and Part B Medicare Administrative Contractors have formed a task force to educate on national issues of concern regarding improper payment errors, they have announced. The Comprehensive Error Rate Testing (CERT) A/B Contractor Task Force will hold its first teleconference Aug. 20. The task force affords providers the benefit of a “collaborative, consistent voice to reduce costly claim denials, as well as the CERT error rate,” according to a bulletin. The task force will enhance, not replace, the ongoing educational activities by CMS, the Medicare Learning Network and the MACs in their jurisdictions. It will select one to four national CERT “hot topics” each year that may focus on provider or facility types, or on certain specialties. It will then publish scenario-driven articles with tips on avoiding specific errors. The task force's campaign kicks off with the call on Aug. 20 from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. EST. Register here.

CMS posts FAQ regarding incarcerated beneficiaries

BALTIMORE - CMS expects to resolve issues with denials associated with incarcerations after October, according to a Frequently Asked Questions document issued July 31. Earlier this summer, CMS identified overpayments for beneficiaries who may have been incarcerated when they received items or services. On July 23, the agency issued a bulletin, backpedalling on the recoupments, citing incomplete information. The FAQ addresses the resulting confusion, including sections on appeals and recoupments.

Cristia Medical Supply expands into incontinence

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Cristia Medical Supply plans to add a variety of incontinence products, including absorbent pads and pull-ups to its HME offerings, the provider announced July 31. The provider says the number of individuals who need incontinence supplies has grown in recent years. “It is not just about expanding our product offering,” stated Jonathan Anderson, customer service manager, in a release. “It is also about providing products that enhance the quality of life for our customers.”

Mobility123 launches rental program on Jersey Shore

ABSECON, N.J. - Mobility123 now rents beach wheelchairs to visitors to the Jersey Shore, the provider announced July 19. The durable, stainless steel wheelchairs, available for rental periods ranging from one day to one month, are specially designed to roll across sand. Mobility123 offers free delivery and pickup of the wheelchairs. The provider also carries bath safety items, scooters and stair lifts.

Pre-show schedule now includes online marketing seminar

ORLANDO - There's a new pre-show seminar scheduled for Medtrade: Marketing consultants Lisa Wells and Anna McDevitt will present “Keeping your business ahead of the digital curve” on Oct. 7 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Wells, president of Get Social Consulting, and McDevitt, president of Laboratory Marketing, will take attendees through scalable marketing principles using entertaining stories, in-class activities, videos and real-world examples. Other pre-show seminars cover business management (Kathy Quehl of Brightree), sales management revenue growth (Mike Sperduti of Emerge Sales) diversification (Mike Mallaro of The VGM Group) operational efficiencies (Miriam Lieber of Lieber Consulting) and audits (Mary Ellen Conway of Capital Healthcare Group). FMI: http://www.medtrade.com/conference/seminars-workshops-webinars.shtml.

Time's running out to throw your name in the speaker ring

LAS VEGAS - The deadline to submit a proposal to Medtrade's Educational Advisory Board (EAB) for Medtrade Spring 2014 is Friday, Aug. 9. The EAB will evaluate proposals based on timeliness of topic, overall content, audience interest, creativity, prior speaking expertise, knowledge of subject matter, prior speaker evaluation results and speaker references. Sales presentations and incomplete submissions will not be considered. For more information, contact Toni Ward at antoinette.ward@emeraldexpo.com or 770-291-5441. Medtrade Spring takes place March 10-12 at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.

Short takes: Invacare, Brightree, BioScrip

Invacarehas laid off an additional 25 workers at its Taylor Street manufacturing facility. It's the third layoff at the facility … Brightree has completed the transition of CareAnyware into its brand, changing the name of CareAnyware EMR software to Home Health and Hospice solution. Brightree acquired CareAnyware in December 2012 … BioScrip has secured a $75 million revolving credit facility. A portion of it will be used toward the $223 million purchase of Cincinnati-based CarePoint Partners…

People news: Karen Collishaw, Michael Clark, Darrell Burnette

The board of directors of the Community Health Accreditation Program (CHAP) has selected Karen Collishaw as president and CEO. She will direct CHAP as “it embarks on a new strategic direction to advance the highest quality in community-based care,” according to a press release. Collishaw is the former deputy executive director of the American Academy of Dermatology…The CPAP Horizon Project has appointed Michael Clark, vice president of sales and business development at Signature Sleep Services (d/b/a Sleep960), to its board of directors. Clark, along with other yet-to-be-named board members, will serve in an advisory role and will help establish the strategic direction of the organization, according to a press release…RESNA recently certified Darrell Burnette, Mobility Solutions sales representative for Ottobock, as an Assistive Technology Professional (ATP), Ottobock announced in a press release.