In brief: NAIMES branches out, Army enlists concentrator

HALIFAX, Va. - The National Association of Independent Medical Equipment Suppliers (NAIMES) now offers a program for those who seek to advocate for the industry, it announced Jan. 23. The NAIMES 2009 Grassroots Legislative Support Program, available to all NAIMES and state association members at no cost, features services designed to improve grassroots efforts at the state level. NAIMES feels strongly that "the power of the industry is at the state level," it stated in a release. The association's program includes: congressional staff updates, town hall meeting tracking, virtual or actual fly-in scheduling and media relations assistance. For more information about the Grassroots Legislative Support Program, visit www.dmehelp.org.

Army flies with SeQual

SAN DIEGO - The U.S. Army has approved SeQual Technologies' Eclipse for use aboard Medevac H-60 Black Hawk helicopters, the manufacturer announced Jan. 22. Before giving the oxygen concentrator its airworthiness certification, the Army's Aeromedical Research Laboratory tested it for things like electromagnetic interference and compatibility. According to SeQual's release: "The Eclipse offers ... dependable oxygen delivery and supports individual patients far forward on the battlefield and during medial evacuation missions. It is a small, lightweight point-of-use generator that can be moved with the patient (and) produces 93% +/- 3 medical grade oxygen and (is) powered by AC/DC or battery. The system eliminates the safety hazards of pressurized oxygen and logistical burden of continual resupply of oxygen cylinders."

Diabetes rates skyrocket

BETHESDA, Md. - Nearly 13% of U.S. adults have diabetes and 30% have pre-diabetes, according to a new study from the National Institutes of Health. The study compared the results of two national surveys that included a fasting blood glucose test and a two-hour glucose reading from an oral glucose tolerance test. Pre-diabetes is more common among men (35%) than women (23%). The growing obesity epidemic remains a big factor in the rise of Type 2 diabetes, which accounts for up to 95% of all diabetes cases and virtually all cases of undiagnosed diabetes.

HHS issues final ICD-10 codes

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently released final ICD-10 code sets and updated electronic transactions standards rule. The move will expedite the transition to an electronic healthcare environment through adoption of the new diagnosis and procedure codes and updated standards for electronic healthcare and pharmacy transactions. Read the complete update: https://www.noridianmedicare.com/lsredir.php?pdf=/provider/updates/docs/HHS_Issues_Final_rules.pdf