Archive: June 2003
Lincare Rx settles with pharmacy board
June 30, 2003HME News Staff
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Med4Home, a large respiratory pharmacy owned by Lincare, has agreed to correct the problems that led to a contaminated batch of meds the company recalled improperly, according to the State Board of Pharmacy.
As part of the May settlement agreement, the pharmacy must allow the board full access to the company's facilities, allow full access to pharmacy records and correct quality-control inadequacies that lead to the contaminated medications, said Kevin Kinkade, executive director...
Conference
June 30, 2003HME News Staff
CHICAGO - The principal of an HME company exhibiting at the Associated Professional Sleep Societies 17th Annual Meeting calls sleep medicine “a pioneering field.” And as the lone provider booth at APSS in early June, Greg Schoonover, managing director for Health Technology Resources, is something of a pioneer himself.
The Northbrook, Ill.-based home sleep care provider set up a booth this year specifically to meet with sleep physicians and introduce them to the latest in home-based sleep...
Legal
June 30, 2003HME News Staff
Obtaining an OIG advisory opinion
With Lisa Smith
Q: I'm a supplier interested in entering into a business venture with another healthcare provider; however, in light of the recent OIG Special Advisory Bulletin on contractual joint ventures, I'm worried that the OIG might attack the arrangement even though we intend to structure it conservatively. What can I do to protect myself against a future OIG enforcement action?
A: The best way to ensure that an existing or proposed arrangement won't be...
New Rehab group takes on Medicare
June 30, 2003HME News Staff
WASHINGTON - Frustrated by Medicare's narrow definition of “in the home” and other antiquated policies for the disabled, a new coalition of rehab providers has formed to do battle against such restrictive statutory language.
The Independence Through Enhancement of Medicare and Medicaid (ITEM) coalition - now comprised of 65 consumer and provider groups such as the Paralyzed Veterans of America and the American Foundation for the Blind - wants CMS to relax restrictions that prevent reimbursement...
Queens provider feels like a king in new digs
June 30, 2003HME News Staff
QUEENS, N.Y. - Medstar Surgical moved into a big, beautiful warehouse in early April and owner Zeb Pirzada couldn't be happier.
Who can blame him? By setting up shop in the 35,000-square-foot space Pirzada consolidated three warehouses under one roof, reaping all the efficiencies that go with the new streamlined operation.
“We have become very efficient,” said Pirzada, 29. “We designed the office to have the paper flow go really well, and it has helped us out in billing things...
House makes push for NCB
June 30, 2003HME News Staff
WASHINGTON - The House of Representatives introduced legislation June 13 that would phase in competitive bidding for durable medical equipment, respiratory meds and medical supplies in 2005 and 2006.
The legislation closely mirrors the House call for competitive bidding last year, but the new bill departs from its predecessor in several notable directions:
- Congress would eliminate inherent reasonableness in areas subject to competitive bidding. But Congress specifically grants CMS the right to...
Congress considers alternatives to long-term care
June 30, 2003HME News Staff
WASHINGTON - Congress is considering legislation that would fund community-based attendant services programs as alternatives to institutional care.
The Medicaid Community-based Attendant Services and Supports Act of 2003 (MiCASSA) offers a choice in long-term care for individuals eligible for nursing facility services.
For HME companies, the consequences of MiCASSA are plain: Fewer patients in facility-based care means more home care.
“It's the No. 1 consumer issue,” said Dave Williams,...
Strategy
June 30, 2003HME News Staff
INDIANAPOLIS - Medical Express Delivery has begun positioning itself to take advantage of a growing need by HMEs and other healthcare companies to reduce their delivery costs, typically one of a company's biggest expenses.
“The increasing competition between national companies will provide some pressure on margins, and this pressure will force companies to find innovative ways to save their resources,” said President Jim Gibson.
Gibson hopes that innovation involves his medical courier...
E1161: New code for adult tilt-in-space
June 30, 2003HME News Staff
ALEXANDRIA, Va. - In a May article, “RATC says no cap for K0009,” we alluded to the K0009 code as the tilt-in-space wheelchair. In fact, the K0009 code is a “not otherwise coded” wheelchair. The RATC submitted a HCPCS code application to CMS in March of 2002 requesting the creation of a new HCPCS code for adult manual tilt-in-space wheelchairs. When the code was granted, CMS categorized the new code under the payment category of capped rental. After receiving additional information...
Medicaid fraud stymies feds
June 30, 2003HME News Staff
WASHINGTON - The federal government recovers 20 times as much money from prosecuting Medicare fraud cases than from prosecuting Medicaid fraud cases, according to two studies released last week by the Taxpayers Against Fraud.
The studies found that in 2001, the federal government recovered more than $1 billion from Medicare fraud prosecution, compared with $43 million from Medicaid fraud prosecution. The recovery rate trend has been consistent over the last five years, the Hartford Courant reported....