Archive: July 2007
Walgreens embraces home IV
July 31, 2007HME News Staff
DEERFIELD, Ill. - Walgreens looked to its own backyard in late June, buying Buffalo Grove, Ill.-based Option Care, a specialty pharmacy and home infusion provider, for $850 million cash--the largest transaction in Walgreens' history.
The deal gives Walgreens a national footprint in the specialty pharmacy and home infusion markets, estimated at $60 billion annually, with a projected annual growth rate of 20%.
"It is our biggest step yet to expand," said Walgreens President Greg Wasson, during a July...
Scooter Store taps into 3,500 bennies
July 31, 2007HME News Staff
NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas - Bravo by Elder Health, a Medicare Advantage Program, has contracted The Scooter Store to provide power wheelchairs and scooters to its 3,500 members in Texas, the provider announced recently. Medicare Advantage Programs like Bravo allow beneficiaries to use private health plans but still have the government pay for their equipment. In all, the health plan serves 57,000 members in Texas, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C.
Authentidate inks deal with giant independent HME
July 31, 2007HME News Staff
BERKELEY HEIGHTS, N.J. - Pacific Pulmonary Services, one of the largest privately held providers of home oxygen and respiratory medications in the United States, has begun to implement Authentidate's Inscrybe Healthcare platform into more than 100 patient care centers in 14 states. PPS will use Inscrybe to digitally generate, track and manage documentation between its different facilities faster, the companies stated recently.
Industry pushes for delay
July 31, 2007HME News Staff
WASHINGTON - Knowing a one-week delay isn't enough, AAHomecare in July continued to push for further delays to national competitive bidding. On June 29, CMS extended the deadline for submitting bids from July 13 to July 20.
AAHomecare sent a letter to CMS Acting Administrator Herb Kuhn in July seeking a delay due to several issues, including "severe technical problems with bid submissions and late dissemination of critical information."
Additionally, two senators and representatives have picked up...
Lawmakers gladly listen to reason
July 31, 2007HME News Staff
If you don't think local grassroots lobbying pays off, you haven't talked to Jim Greatorex.
"All you've got to do is show a legislator a customer in a wheelchair and competitive bidding is not the first thing that comes to his mind," said Greatorex, president of Black Bear Medical in Portland, Maine.
Over the years, Greatorex and other Maine providers have met many times with state lawmakers, both in Washington, D.C., and at home. The results speak for themselves: Rep. Tom Allen, D-Maine, introduced...
The OIG says: You got me
July 31, 2007HME News Staff
WASHINGTON - The OIG raised the white flag in mid June, admitting it had no idea how to determine when providers charge Medicare too much for products and services.
In a proposed rule issued in 2003, the OIG indicated that it would consider a claim "substantially in excess" if a provider charged Medicare more than 20% of what other customers usually paid for the same product. The impetus for this: Tto prevent providers from gouging Medicare. But as times change and providers look to offset Medicare...
Telerehab project receives accolades
July 31, 2007HME News Staff
PITTSBURGH - A graduate student at the University of Pittsburgh received an award recently for his contributions to a project that involves using videoconferencing to conduct evaluations for power wheelchairs. Rich Schein presented a paper--"Telerehabilitation: Expanding Access to Wheelchair Provision and Service Delivery"--at the American Telemedicine Association's annual meeting. He won the ATA's 2007 Student Paper Award. UPitt launched the project in 2006 to better serve the needs of patients...
Be united, be passionate, build champions
July 31, 2007HME News Staff
It was with great respect and pride that we watched Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., deliver his keynote address at the June AAHomecare Legislative Conference. Although Sen. Specter is a national leader and involved in shaping some of the most important issues facing our country, it is clear that over the course of the five years we've built our relationship with him, he has taken the time to get to know and understand our industry.
Sen. Specter cares about the important and noble work our industry does...
United Seating, NSM swap two rehab locations
July 31, 2007HME News Staff
NASHVILEE, Tenn., and EARTH CITY, Mo. - In a one-of-a-kind transaction, National Seating & Mobility and United Seating & Mobility, two large regional rehab providers, will trade two locations to boost their respective market shares.
NSM will trade its Kansas City, Mo., and Columbus, Ohio, branches for United Seating's Orlando, Fla., and Dallas branches, the providers announced June 21.
Because its Kansas City and Columbus branches do mostly Medicare business, the transaction allows NSM to focus on...
Gentiva acquires hospital's HME biz
July 31, 2007HME News Staff
MELVILLE, N.Y. - Gentiva Health Services acquired the home health operations of North Carolina Baptist Hospital in Winston-Salem, N.C., for about $3.8 million in cash, the company announced July 5. As part of the transaction, Gentiva acquired Baptist Hospital's respiratory and home medical equipment division. The new business units will operate as Gentiva Home Health and Gentiva Respiratory Services & HME. Gentiva plans to use the acquisition to complement its "strong market presence in North Carolina...