Option Care gains New England foothold

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Option Care entered the New England market in March when it acquired American HomePatient's infusion-pharmacy operations here. The operations generate about $6 million in annual revenue, according to Raj Rai, president and CEO of the Bannockburn, Ill. infusion giant. Details of the acquisition were not available. Option Care provides home and other alternative-site infusion therapies in more than 30 states. It also sells infusion pharmaceuticals and equipment and provides nursing home and respiratory therapy services. CMS: Expanded foot-care coverage in effect July 1 WASHINGTON — CMS announced last month that expanded foot-care coverage for beneficiaries with diabetes will take effect July 1. There is some confusion, however, because the program memorandum refers to treatment of diabetic peripheral neuropathy with loss of protective sensation (LOPS) as a "physician service." Last year, CMS announced that beneficiaries suffering from the condition were allowed two foot exams per year (See HME News November 2000). Questionnaire helps identify OSA NEW YORK CITY — A new study suggests that an 11-item, self-administered patient questionnaire can aid physicians in screening for the most common sleep disorders, including obstructive sleep apnea. The study, which was published in the March issue of the Journal of Sleep Medicine, is intended to simplify the sleep disorder screening process so that primary-care doctors can reliably assess patients for specific disorders in minutes with only a handful of targeted questions. Experts hope that the test, Global Sleep Assessment Questionnaire (GSAQ), will encourage more aggressive screening.