Crowds grow at Medtrade as industry seeks greater clarity

PHOENIX – Early numbers from Medtrade underscore the strong demand in the home medical equipment (HME) industry for guidance on competitive bidding, artificial intelligence (AI), payer contracting and more.

Show Director Kayla McGarry reports that the industry’s largest trade show, which featured more than 70 education sessions on Tuesday alone, saw a 14% increase in conference attendees this year.

The Exhibit Hall, which opened Tuesday morning, showcased more than 360 exhibitors.

“We have 116 new exhibitors this year vs. 60–65 last year,” she said.

Providers seek unity as competitive bidding and payer issues intensify

While the return of Medicare’s competitive bidding program (CBP) is a major focus of this year’s educational track, payer relations is proving an even bigger challenge for many providers. For Barb Stockert, executive director of PAMES and the Big Sky Association of Medical Equipment Suppliers, the pressure from third-party administrators (TPAs) is top of mind.

“It’s all the third-party administrators (TPAs) that are having a real impact on small providers,” she said. “That, and all the different contracts that they now have to sign up for.”

Stockert is also using her time at Medtrade to recruit new provider members and vendor partners.

“In this day and age, we really need to be working together,” she said.

Technology remains a dominant theme

Technology continues to be a main draw for attendees seeking efficiencies and compliance support. Patricia Mastandrea, CEO of MedCare Equipment Co. in Pennsylvania, said she spent last year’s show meeting with software vendors to ensure her company was on the right platform.

This year, her focus has shifted to evaluating emerging tech designed to streamline operations.

“The solution does everything, but will it pass an audit,” she said, “and who is it great for? The provider? The prescriber?”

Spotlight on AI grows stronger

AI remains one of the most talked-about topics on the show floor. Brad Lawson and Janit Maniar, COO and CEO, respectively, of Soliish, attended sessions and toured booths to better understand provider pain points in the sleep market.

The Reston, Va.-based company has developed FaceX, an AI-powered tool that uses a smartphone camera to generate an obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) score.

“I love to hear how technology is gaining momentum,” said Lawson, who previously held roles at Philips Respironics, Roche and Primasun. “It’s an industry that’s rife with activity to improve workflows.”

Conversations and creativity drive Exhibit Hall energy

The bustling Exhibit Hall once again featured Tech Talks, but exhibitors also infused their booths with educational content—and fun.

At Prochant’s booth, CEO Joey Graham hosted coffee talks alongside invited guests. Nearby, NikoHealth embraced a castle theme—Chateau Niko—complete with champagne and macarons.

“Things are going great,” said Alex Marz, director of marketing at NikoHealth. “We’re having a lot of conversations with current customers about how it was easier to migrate than they thought. It can be seen as a daunting thing, but in the end, they come out so much stronger.”

Medtrade heads back to Texas – this time to Fort Worth

Medtrade will return to Texas in 2027, but instead of Dallas, the show will be held March 23–25 in Fort Worth. Emerald Expositions has hosted other events at the Fort Worth Convention Center, and McGarry says attendees appreciate the city’s accessibility and welcoming atmosphere.

“You can walk to everything, like restaurants,” she said. “It’s safe and everyone is so nice. And everyone can stay in nearby hotels.”

Medtrade will also remain in Fort Worth for 2028, while the location for 2029 is still being finalized. The show will return to Dallas in 2030, when ongoing construction is expected to be completed.