Archive: April 2019
Medicaid roundup: Changes in North Dakota, South Dakota
April 30, 2019HME News Staff
The North Dakota House of Representatives and Senate have passed H.B. 1115, a bill that prevents the Medicaid program from requiring “prior authorization, additional documentation not required by Medicare or additional prescription requirements of DME and supplies to process a claim for Medicaid-eligible individuals who are also eligible for Medicare if any item has been paid by Medicare, unless the item is not covered by Medicaid,” according to MAMES. The legislature passed the bill...
Belluscura reaches fundraising goal for POC
April 30, 2019HME News Staff
PLANO, Texas - Belluscura has reached its fundraising goal for its portable oxygen concentrator, the X-PLO2R. The company, part of the portfolio of Tekcapital Plc, a U.K. intellectual property investment group, has raised 500,000 pounds. “We are delighted to see that Belluscura has reached its crowdfunding target of 500,000 pounds to help complete the regulatory clearance and launch of their new X-PLOR portable oxygen concentrator later this year,” said Dr. Clifford Gross, chairman of...
Senators introduce accessories bill
April 30, 2019HME News Staff
WASHINGTON - Sens. Bob Casey, D-Pa., and Rob Portman, R-Ohio, on April 29 introduced a bill to provide relief for complex rehab wheelchairs and accessories, according to NCART.S. 1223 would exempt complex rehab manual and power wheelchairs and any wheelchair accessory, cushion or back when furnished in connection with a wheelchair from Medicare competitive bidding pricing. Casey and Portman introduced a similar bill in the last congressional session.Earlier in April, Reps. John Larson, D-Conn., and...
iBOT readies for relaunch
April 30, 2019HME News Staff
MANCHESTER, N.H. - Mobius Mobility is in the process of re-launching the iBOT Personal Mobility Device, an electric wheelchair that can climb stairs, according to the Union Leader. The company is moving into a building here owned by Dean Kamen, who worked with Johnson & Johnson to develop the iBOT 20 years ago, to assemble the devices and train customers on how to use them. In addition to climbing stairs, the iBOT allows users to sit up to make eye contract with others, making it a good fit for people...
Responsive Respiratory enters CPAP market
April 29, 2019Tracy Orzel
ST. LOUIS - With its new Purify O3 ozone sanitizer, Responsive Respiratory is making it cheaper for CPAP users to sanitize their equipment, while giving providers a competitive edge, company officials say.While competing sanitizers sell for up to $319, the MAP pricing for the Purify O3 is $189.“(The competition) is hitting the top 25% of income earners and we're at 50%,” said Tom Bannon, president of Responsive Respiratory. “The majority of the population doesn't make that...
Accreditation: Make visit stress-free
April 29, 2019Kelly Wolfe
A. Aside from an initial Medicare inspection, from time to time the National Supplier Clearinghouse can visit any DME provider to check in on you. Instead of scrambling for the documents, we suggest having a Medicare inspection file handy with all documents needed. This way, even if the key employees are not there, they will have all the documents in one place and the inspection will run smoothly.Here are the documents the investigator will ask for:• State sales tax permit• Pharmacy license...
Outsourcing: Track the right metrics
April 29, 2019Joey Graham
A. When did you last check your HME company's metrics?This task might be last on your list (and with good reason): the day-to-day challenges of patient care and billing processes probably occupy your mind. You might focus on whatever it takes to keep the lights on.Tracking too many or too few metrics (or none at all) is more common among HME providers than you might think. Making the space to track the right HME metrics is easier than you might think, too.Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) Enter key...
RESNA: Part of something bigger
April 29, 2019Liz Beaulieu, Editor
TORONTO - RESNA's annual conference will be part of RehabWeek this year.RESNA will be one of six organizations holding its conference as part of the event, June 24-28 in Toronto.“RESNA has a reputation for rehab and cutting-edge technology, so they were really pleased to get us,” said Mary Ellen Buning, president of RESNA's board of directors.The other organizations are the International Functional Electrical Stimulation Society (IFESS), International Conference on Rehabilitation Robotics...
Billing systems growing in sophistication
April 29, 2019John Andrews
For HME providers considering upgrades to their billing systems, it is important to know that today's automation technology allows for full integration of functions that span the administrative and operations continuum within the company. In essence, a new billing system goes well beyond revenue cycle transaction and into every essential part of the business.
“It's an exciting time for HME providers as it relates to technology, and there are many integrations that are available,”...
Making the case for e-prescribing
April 29, 2019Guest Commentary
Recently, Medicare determined to accept e-prescribed orders for inexpensive or otherwise routinely purchased DME. Historically, Medicare has required fax, pen and ink, or electronically maintained images of signed orders.However, e-prescribing offers a confidential, secure, accurate and error-free method of communicating doctors' orders. Moreover, e-prescribing has been widely adopted by physicians. By April 2014, fully 70% of physicians were e-prescribing, using an electronic health records network...