In brief: 'Super committee' takes shape, bid battle continues

WASHINGTON - Four Congressional leaders tasked with choosing members for a committee to reduce the federal deficit have made their selections. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., has chosen Sens. Patty Murray, D-Wash.; Max Baucus, D-Mont.; and John Kerry, D-Mass. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has chosen Sens. Pat Toomey, R-Pa.; Rob Portman, R-Ohio; and Jon Kyl, R-Ariz. House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, has chosen Reps. Jeb Hansarling, R-Texas; Dave Camp, R-Mich.; and Fred Upton, R-Mich. Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., has chosen Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C.; Rep. Xavier Becerra, D-Calif.; and Rep. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md.). The committee is tasked with finding $1.2 trillion in savings by Nov. 23.

AMEPA, TAHCS host H.R. 1041 meetings in Texas

HOUSTON - Accredited Medical Equipment Providers of America will join forces this month with the Texas Alliance for Home Care Services to spread the word about H.R. 1041 in Texas. The groups will offer three sessions in Austin, San Antonio and Houston to educate local HME providers and to conduct visits with legislators. Topics will include, among others, lessons learned in Round 1, the task at hand and the progress of H.R. 1041. The state currently has five of its 32 House members on board with the bill. More information is available at www.amepa.us.

PFQC, AAHomecare reach out to California

WATERLOO, Iowa - People for Quality Care and AAHomecare participated in an Aug. 4 webinar about competitive bidding with the California Foundation for Independent Living Centers. Discussion topics included: competitive bidding program problems from the consumer point of view, including examples of how consumers have been impacted by the program. California has only two out of its 53 House members signed on to the bill.

Want a free pass to Medtrade?

ATLANTA - Medtrade, which takes place here Oct. 24-27, has a new Facebook page. Facebook users can click to like the page and then write on the wall the session or the exhibitor they're most looking forward to seeing for a chance to win a complimentary pass to the conference and Expo. The winner will be chosen Aug. 22. FMI: Visit www.medtrade.com.

Sanford Medical Equipment to close Cherokee location

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - Sanford Health will close one of its 14 HME offices Aug. 19. The Cherokee, Iowa location will merge its services with another of the company's branches to increase economic efficiency, the company told local media. Sanford Health Home Medical Equipment employees at the company's nearby Orange City, Iowa, location will serve Cherokee area consumers.

Short takes: IVR feature, revalidation

CMS announced last week that providers can now obtain the total number of months paid on rented oxygen equipment from the interactive voice response (IVR) system…CMS released last week an MLN Matters article that clarifies the revalidation requirements for provider enrollment.