Tag: coronavirus outbreak

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The National Home Infusion Association is urging commercial insurance plans to implement coverage policies for COVID-19 monoclonal antibody therapy used in the home. The association also says CMS’s current administration fee of approximately $310 is insufficient to cover the costs. In a study conducted in February, NHIA determined the cost of providing the therapy is between $584 and $1,746. NHIA encourages payers to work with the home...

INDIANAPOLIS – Apria Healthcare reported that revenue for home respiratory therapy was up 8% in the fourth quarter of 2020, largely driven by an increase in demand for COVID-19 patients, company execs said on a recent earnings call.  New oxygen setups increased 77% during the fourth quarter of 2020, compared to the same quarter in 2019.   “The fourth quarter of 2020 was a record quarter for Apria,” said CFO Debra Morris. “While...

BARBOURSVILLE, W.Va. – What has it been like to be a respiratory provider in a largely rural state during the past year of the COVID-19 pandemic? “It’s been very scary,” says Regina Gillispie, president and owner of Best Home Medical in Barboursville, W.Va.  Hear how Gillispie, a recent guest on the HME News in 10 podcast, is trying to share the pain with her members of Congress on social media, to the point where she jokes, “I’m...

BANNOCKBURN, Ill. – Option Care Health saw double-digit growth in revenues as the company took advantage of its technology platform to respond to the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, said CEO John Rademacher on a recent earnings call.  Option Care Health reported net revenues of $804.7 million for the fourth quarter of 2020, an increase of 11.6% compared to the same quarter in 2019.  “Our ability to quickly pivot and utilize our technology...

WASHINGTON – The recently passed $1.9 trillion stimulus package could mean good news and bad news for HME providers, stakeholders say.  The good news: Industry stakeholders are hopeful that now that the package is passed they can make some headway on an assortment of issues, including a yet-to-be-released DMEPOS final rule.  The bad news: Because of a federal requirement that any spending increases be offset by spending cuts the following...

LAFAYETTE, La. – Viemed Healthcare grew its core business by 21% in 2020 and rolled out several new programs in the fourth quarter that will enhance and diversify the company’s overall business in 2021, says CEO Casey Hoyt.  For one, the company has moved from pilots to national rollouts of both its “Engage” and “View” platforms, which...

WATERLOO, Iowa – The cost of delivering home medical equipment has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the results of new survey from VGM.   The survey of nearly 100 medical equipment providers in eight regions of the U.S. looked at vehicle cost per trip; PPE expense; labor expense per hour; and time of travel, equipment set-up and instruction, and equipment pickup.  In the Great Lakes region, for example, the average delivery...

YARMOUTH, Maine – There was a huge government push to help manufacturers ramp up production of ventilators at the start of the pandemic, but that hasn’t been the case for oxygen concentrators, even as they have become increasingly in demand. Major manufacturers of oxygen concentrators say they’re ramping up production as best as they can. Ball Ground, Ga.-based CAIRE has added shifts at its manufacturing facilities and boosted its staff by 30%, helping the company to double its...

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – California’s Department of Health Care Services has reversed plans to reduce reimbursement for oxygen concentrators 40% and will instead increase rates until the end of the public health emergency.  DHCS has submitted a waiver to CMS to increase the reimbursement rate for respiratory equipment from 80% to 100% of Medicare rural rates and eliminate a 10% clawback. Those rates will be retroactive to March 2020,...

YARMOUTH, Maine – The majority of respondents to a recent HME Newspoll say they’re eligible for COVID-19 vaccines, but they’re not immune to the difficulties securing access to them.  Nearly 80% of respondents to the poll say they are eligible for vaccines in their states.  “We have made it mandatory in our office,” wrote one respondent. “It makes a huge difference to have my delivery technicians and supporting...