In brief: Bid form change, Medline response, CGM outcomes
By HME News Staff
Updated 10:13 AM CDT, Thu July 2, 2026
WASHINGTON – The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has proposed revising the reporting form for its competitive bidding program (CBP) – known as Form C – to include a new “country of origin” field for lead items furnished by contract suppliers.
The form collects product information such as manufacturer name, model name and model number, which is then displayed in the Medicare Supplier Directory on Medicare.gov.
“The new country of origin information also would be added to the Medicare Supplier Directory, giving Medicare beneficiaries and other interested parties the country of origin for their medical equipment included in the DMEPOS CBP,” CMS states. “Suppliers can typically identify the country of origin from product markings (e.g., “Made in [Country]”), as required by U.S. Customs and Border Protection rules, or by obtaining documentation such as manufacturer certifications, commercial invoices, or customs entry records.”
CMS says full details about the Form C update will be shared through official notices under Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Control Number 0938-1408 (CMS-10744) before providers are required to report this information.
The proposal was included in the agency’s 2027 Home Health Prospective Payment System proposed rule.
Also in the proposed rule:
F2F clarification for replacement items
CMS has proposed to clarify that an additional comprehensive beneficiary “face-to-face” examination to gather “subjective and objective information associated with diagnosing, treating, or managing a clinical condition for which the DMEPOS is ordered” is not necessary when the item being ordered and furnished is a replacement item.
“If a claim for a replacement DMEPOS item is audited, the provider must nevertheless submit documentation from the original face-to-face encounter to demonstrate that medical necessity, billing, and coverage requirements have been satisfied,” CMS states. “Accordingly, the intent of 42 C.F.R. 410.38, which requires a face-to-face encounter for certain DMEPOS items, would continue to apply when the item is initially furnished; however, this clarification would make clear that the face-to-face encounter would not need to be repeated solely for replacement items.”
Expanded coverage for infusion pumps
CMS has proposed to expand coverage under the DME benefit to certain external infusion pumps and associated home infusion drugs that would be considered appropriate for home use if certain criteria are met, such as the requirement for the drug to be administered by or under the supervision of a healthcare professional, starting April 1, 2027.
Medline increases footprint in California following fire
NORTHFIELD, Ill. – Medline has announced a lease agreement for an existing 925,000-square-foot warehouse in Tracy, Calif., for immediate occupancy, as well as a 709,000-square-foot facility nearby in Stockton, Calif., for use in January 2027.
These two facilities total more than 1.6 million square feet of new medical supplies distribution center space and more than supplant the 1 million-square-foot Tracy facility that was destroyed by fire on June 11. They also represent a 45% expansion of the company’s customer-facing Northern California footprint from just one month ago.
"The Medline team's resilience, determination and commitment to serving healthcare providers have been nothing short of extraordinary," said Jim Boyle, CEO of Medline. "Securing and standing up a new facility in less than one month – and increasing our customer-facing footprint in Northern California by an incredible 45% – speaks to our incredible dedication to making health care run better every day for our customers."
Medline's newly leased 925,000-square-foot distribution center is located on Sugar Road in Tracy, less than 10 miles from the previous Medline site in Tracy. Already largely built to meet Medline's high-volume distribution needs, the company plans to start accepting deliveries at the facility and start delivering to customers in the coming months. This facility is also expected to eventually house many of the same AI-powered technologies already common at other Medline facilities.
Johnny Glover, senior director of operations for Medline's original site in Tracy, will continue as the leader for the new facility.
"I could not be prouder of our team and the way they've responded in the face of adversity," he said. "The team's commitment to our healthcare customers and their patients who rely on us every day is what is allowing us to keep serving our customers during an incredibly challenging time."
Primary care-initiated CGMs associated with meaningful improvements
YARMOUTH, Maine – Primary care-initiated continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) was associated with significantly greater reductions in hemoglobin A1c levels and lower rates of hospitalizations and emergency department visits compared with non-initiation, according to a cohort study published in the JAMA Network. The study was conducted with 8,502 adults with insulin-treated diabetes seen in primary care settings. “In this cohort study of adults with insulin-treated diabetes, initiation of CGM by primary care clinicians was associated with clinically meaningful improvements in HbA1c and significant reductions in recurrent hospitalizations and ED visits,” the study’s authors wrote. “These findings support expanding CGM implementation in primary care settings as a scalable strategy to improve diabetes outcomes and reduce acute care utilization, particularly in underserved populations.” The study was performed at 18 primary care clinics within Montefiore Medical Center, a large safety-net health system in the Bronx, New York. Adults 18 years or older with any insulin-treated diabetes who had at least one primary care visit between Aug. 1, 2022, and Aug. 1, 2025, were included. Patients were excluded if they were uninsured, if they had a CGM prescription in the prior two years, or if their first CGM during follow-up was prescribed outside primary care. At 12 months, HbA1c levels decreased by 0.66 (95% CI, 0.57-0.75) percentage points in patients who initiated CGM vs 0.17 (95% CI, 0.08-0.27) percentage points in those who did not, with a between-group difference of −0.49 (95% CI −0.62 to −0.35) percentage points. CGM initiation was associated with lower risk of recurrent hospitalizations (hazard ratio, 0.87 [95% CI, 0.77-0.98]) and ED visits (hazard ratio, 0.82 [95% CI, 0.74-0.91]).
Mobility City Holdings tells story through new commercial
BOCA RATON, Fla. – Mobility City Holdings, a national mobility equipment repair, rental and sales franchise, has released a new commercial highlighting the personal story and mission behind the company. The new commercial features Mobility City CEO Diane Baratta sharing the experience that helped shape her understanding of how important dependable mobility equipment can be for individuals and families. “Mobility City has always been about helping people,” said Vinny Baratta, COO of Mobility City Holdings, Inc. “Most people do not wake up one morning planning to buy a wheelchair, mobility scooter, hospital bed or lift chair. They come to us because something has changed in their life, or in the life of someone they care about. This commercial helps tell that story.” Through its growing national franchise network, Mobility City serves customers in their homes, showrooms, senior living communities, care facilities and other local settings. The company says the commercial reinforces its focus on practical help, responsive service and compassion for customers and families navigating mobility-related needs. “Our customers are often caregivers, spouses, adult children, Veterans, seniors or individuals trying to stay safe and independent,” Baratta said. “We understand that mobility equipment is not just equipment. It is part of someone’s independence, comfort and quality of life.”
Coral Connect taps into AdvisorWoRx’s execution expertise
CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. – Coral Connect, a specialty infusion enablement platform, has acquired AdvisorWoRx, a strategic consulting firm. Edie Gigot, MSN-RN, MBA, who founded AdvisorWoRx, will join Coral’s executive leadership team as president of infusion services to lead the company’s clinical operations, pharmacy management, dispensing enablement and health system services lines. “Specialty infusion does not have a knowledge problem. It has an execution problem,” said Jeremy Moskow, CEO of Coral. “Edie has spent her career inside the operating reality of this industry. She has run nursing and pharmacy teams, built specialty pharmacy operations, and written the accreditation standards the industry measures itself against. There is no one better positioned to lead how Coral builds, staffs, and runs infusion services for our customers.” Gigot, a nurse by training, led clinical operations at AxelaCare Health Solutions and ARJ Infusion Services (now PromptCare), two of the most recognized names in home infusion, before serving as senior vice president of specialty pharmacy at FlexCare Infusion Centers, one of the nation's fastest-growing ambulatory infusion platforms. As accreditation program director at the National Infusion Center Association, she led the development of the Standards of Excellence for ambulatory infusion centers. She founded AdvisorWoRx in 2020.
NHIA: New proposal fails to meaningfully address access gap to home infusion
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The National Home Infusion Association (NHIA) says CMS’s new proposal to modify the criteria for the use of an infusion pump should not be viewed as a solution to the broader access challenges facing Medicare beneficiaries who could safely receive therapy at home. The association says it appreciates that CMS, in its 2027 Home Health Prospective Payment System Rate Update, recognized that registered nurses and other qualified clinicians are well-equipped to safely monitor and manage potential adverse effects associated with home infusion therapies, but it believes Congress needs to enact the Preserving Patient Access to Home Infusion Act, H.R. 2172 and S. 1058, to fully address the structural deficiencies in the home infusion benefit. “The limited impact of this proposal underscores the much larger disparity that continues to exist between Medicare and the commercial insurance market,” NHIA stated. “Today, over 350 infused drugs are routinely administered safely in patients' homes under commercial insurance coverage. By contrast, CMS acknowledges in the proposed rule that only a single drug is expected to newly qualify for Medicare coverage under the revised external infusion pump criteria. While NHIA supports expanding access for any beneficiary who may benefit from this policy, the proposal fails to meaningfully narrow the significant access gap between Medicare beneficiaries and commercially insured patients.” NHIA points out that the thousands of beneficiaries receiving intravenous anti-infectives, hydration, immune globulin, biologics and other infused medications will continue to be directed to hospital outpatient departments and skilled nursing facilities despite home infusion often being the clinically appropriate, lower-cost, and patient-preferred setting. CMS’s new proposal details the implementation of the Joe Fiandra Access to Home Infusion Act, which was passed earlier this year to expand Medicare coverage for certain home infusion therapies and require an external infusion pump and administration by a health care professional.
HME Medical Distribution promotes two employees
RICHMOND, British Columbia – HME Medical Distribution has promoted Rich Boyd to supervisor in the company’s Kelowna operation and Alex Hoskins to senior sales representative for the Vancouver Island and surrounding communities. HME Medical says as it continues its growth across British Columbia, it remains committed to creating opportunities for internal career growth. “At HME, our people are the foundation of our success,” said Robert Boscacci, co-founder and CEO. “We are excited to recognize two outstanding team members whose dedication, commitment to excellence and passion for serving clients have helped drive our growth. These promotions reflect on both their individual achievements and the opportunities that exist within HME as we continue to expand.” Boyd has been with HME Medical for three years, starting as a customer service representative. Hoskins will be based out of the company’s Nanaimo location, supporting rehabilitation, accessibility and full-service medical equipment sales and service.
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