In brief: Oxygen proposal, accreditation update

ARLINGTON, Va. - AAHomecare last week made available a seven-page background paper on its legislative proposal to reform the Medicare home oxygen benefit. The proposal would repeal the 36-month oxygen cap; exempt oxygen from national competitive bidding; and require and recognize the services necessary to provide oxygen. The proposal is budget neutral, AAHomecare says, meaning that total Medicare spending on oxygen wouldn't increase or decrease. To view the proposal, go to www.aahomecare.org and click on "Home Oxygen Reform Proposal Summary" under "What's New" on the right.



Not planning to get accredited? Then consider this, CMS says

BALTIMORE - HME providers opting not to become accredited at this time should submit an amended CMS-855S application reflecting their voluntary termination, CMS announced last week. By filing this application, the provider will not be revoked and subsequently barred from the Medicare program, as cited in 42 CFR Section 424.535(c). Pharmacies that choose not to become accredited but wish to remain a DMEPOS provider for drugs and biologicals should submit an amended CMS 855S only. To begin the application, visit http://www.cms.hhs.gov/cmsforms/downloads/cms855s.pdf.



MED, HNA partner

LUBBOCK, Texas, and PHOENIX - The MED Group and Healthcare Networks of America (HNA) announced a partnership May 21 that allows MED members into HNA's panel of accredited providers. Until now, HNA's panel has comprised of only physicians.



Meter manufacturer moves operations stateside

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Diagnostic Devices Inc. (DDI) plans to bring most of its offshore manufacturing operations to the United States and add about 100 jobs in the next two years. Right now, DDI manufactures the Prodigy Meter in China and Taiwan, according to a May 22 article in the Charlotte Business Journal. But by 2011, it will manufacture 80% of its products in Charlotte, N.C. Richard Admani Abulhaj, COO, told the journal that high-tech manufacturing makes it possible for DDI to make its products in the United States for less money. "We'd rather be creating jobs here," Abulhaj told the journal.