Archive: August 2025
Lymphedema Act expands access, but coverage gap remains
August 29, 2025Tracy Orzel
The Lymphedema Treatment Act (LTA) has opened the door for providers to expand services and reach more patients, but it might not go far enough.
The law, which took effect Jan. 1, 2024, requires Medicare to cover compression garments, wraps and bandages, but not the footwear many patients need to stay mobile.
Positive impact
The act has had a measurable impact: Broadening access for a patient population whose care often involves complex medical histories and overlapping...
Inspire CFO to step down, search on for replacement
August 28, 2025HME News Staff
MINNEAPOLIS – Inspire Medical Systems has announced that CFO Rick Buchholz will step down effective Dec. 31, 2025. Buchholz will remain with the company in a financial advisory role through February 28, 2026, to ensure a smooth transition. “Since joining Inspire in 2014, Rick has provided steady leadership and invaluable guidance, leaving a lasting impact on the company,” said Tim Herbert, chairman and CEO. “He played a pivotal role in our journey—from the commercial...
Last call! AAHomecare submits comments on CMS’s competitive bidding proposals
August 28, 2025HME News Staff
WASHINGTON – AAHomecare has finalized and submitted its comments to the CY 2026 DMEPOS/Home Health Proposed Rule. The rule maps out the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ plans for the next round of the Medicare national competitive bidding program.
AAHomecare’s comments include recommendations to:
Keep the bid ceiling at the unadjusted 2015 fee schedule and to maintain the current methodology for determining the single payment amount (SPA)...
Freedom Designs to ‘restructure,’ lay off 70 at California location
August 28, 2025HME News Staff
SIMI VALLEY, Calif. – Freedom Designs will close its facility in Simi Valley, Calif., and lay off 70 employees by June 1, 2026, according to a filing with the state’s Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification.
In a statement to HME News, a spokesperson said the company will be moving manufacturing to another state.
“Freedom Designs is an integral part of the Invacare family,” the spokesperson said. “To upgrade our product offerings in this category,...
React Health signs with Quality Biomedical to boost service capabilities for vents
August 27, 2025HME News Staff
BOULDER, Colo. – React Health has expanded its post-sale warranty and non-warranty service program by signing Quality Biomedical as a national Factory Authorized Service Center. “As our market penetration grows, we need established service partners to provide top-notch, post-sale service for both warranty and out-of-warranty support,” said Brian Farkas, director of service for React Health. “Quality Biomedical has been a strong service partner since we began selling O2 concentrators...
Williams Bros. promotes Johnson to executive HME role
August 27, 2025HME News Staff
WASHINGTON, Ind. – Williams Bros. Health Care Pharmacy has promoted Derek Johnson to executive vice president of home medical equipment (HME). In this key leadership role, Johnson will oversee the strategic direction, operational execution and continued expansion of the company’s HME division across its growing service region. "Derek’s operational expertise, strategic mindset and commitment to excellence have made him an invaluable part of our team,” said Clay Williams,...
Resmed study: OSA to increase, particularly among women
August 27, 2025HME News Staff
SAN DIEGO - The prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is projected to increase nearly 35% by 2050, impacting 46% of all U.S. adults, according to a new study from Resmed recently published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine.
Model
In this prospective modelling study, historical data on OSA prevalence in the U.S. were extracted from a previously published longitudinal cohort study. U.S. population characteristics (age and sex) were obtained from relevant and validated population...
UPDATED: Quipt Home Medical responds to latest takeover bid from Forager Capital Management
August 27, 2025HME News Staff
WILDER, Ky. – Quipt Home Medical says an updated acquisition proposal from Forager Capital Management is only the latest in the shareholder’s “self-serving inferior and declining offers.”
FCM’s August proposal
FCM in August submitted an updated acquisition proposal to acquire all issued and outstanding common shares of the company for $3.10 per share in cash. It said the proposed $3.10 all-cash offer represents a significant premium over Quipt’s...
In brief: CMS cooks up fraud competition, forms Healthcare Advisory Committee
August 27, 2025HME News Staff
WASHINGTON – CMS has announced a “Crushing Fraud Chili Cook-Off Competition,” a market-based research challenge aimed at harnessing artificial intelligence, specifically machine learning models, to detect anomalies and trends in Medicare claims data.
The challenge also seeks innovative, scalable technologies that reduce labor-intensive processes while keeping humans meaningfully in the loop to ensure effective oversight and interoperability, CMS says.
The challenge...
AASM says PLATO questionnaire fills void in sleep medicine
August 26, 2025HME News Staff
DARIEN, Ill. - The American Academy of Sleep Medicine has developed and validated a patient-reported outcome tool called PLATO for use in a clinical setting to monitor treatment, response and longitudinal progression in adults who have obstructive sleep apnea. Results show that the “Patient-reported Longitudinal Assessment Tool for OSA” demonstrates strong internal consistency and test-retest reliability and exhibits robust construct validity through moderate-to-strong correlations with...