In brief: CCS diabetes study, Therafirm milestone, Angel Care expansion 

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - As the number of diabetes patients continues to grow and pharmacy workloads intensify, a new report led by CCS highlights a critical gap in patient education and support. The findings reveal that pharmacists are increasingly unable to provide the coaching and guidance diabetes patients need to stay healthy. 

Key findings from the CCS diabetes care report 

The report, developed with support from Pure Spectrum, surveyed more than 100 pharmacists across retail and community pharmacy settings. It uncovered several concerning trends: 

• Nearly half of pharmacists say people with diabetes are not receiving the education and support they need. 

• 74% report their performance is measured mainly on speed and fill rates, limiting patient interaction. 

• 93% agree patients prescribed continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) therapy should receive education and coaching, but many pharmacists lack the time to provide it. 

Chronic care management providers can fill the gap 

CCS emphasizes that chronic care management providers—specializing in medical supply delivery, patient education and coaching—can act as an extension of the care team. These providers help bridge the gap as pharmacists face increasing demands. 

“Pharmacists are deeply committed to their patients, but they are working in a system that often forces them to choose between filling prescriptions and providing patient education and coaching,” said Marian Lowe, chief strategy and development officer, CCS. “That’s where companies like CCS can help. We can serve as a provider and extension of the patient care team in the home, and can also complement the work of pharmacists by delivering ongoing education, personalized coaching, and connected care for people with diabetes—helping to ease the burden on pharmacies while ensuring high-risk patients don’t fall through the cracks.” 

A team-based approach to diabetes care 

The report advocates for a collaborative model in diabetes care, where each health care partner contributes their expertise. Pharmacists play a vital role in medication and therapy management, while organizations like CCS offer personalized onboarding for CGM devices, ongoing coaching and long-term care coordination. 

“As diabetes care becomes more complex, collaboration is critical,” said Lowe. “By working together—pharmacists, physicians, specialists, and DME providers—we can make sure every patient has access to the education, support, and tools they need to succeed.” 

Learn more 

To explore the full report, visit: ccsmed.com/ccs-retail-pharmacy-access. 

DME MACs clarify billing for power wheelchair electronic codes 

WASHINGTON – The Durable Medical Equipment Medicare Administrative Contractors (DME MACs) address the confusion around billing certain power wheelchair electronic codes in a joint publication on Oct. 2. “This article provides instructions on the appropriate billing of power wheelchair electronics, such as actuators, controllers, harnesses and interfaces. The instructions apply specifically to: 

• E2310 Power wheelchair accessory, electronic connection between wheelchair controller and one power seating system motor, including all related electronics, indicator feature, mechanical function selection switch, and fixed mounting hardware 

• E2311 Power wheelchair accessory, electronic connection between wheelchair controller and two or more power seating system motors, including all related electronics, indicator feature, mechanical function selection switch, and fixed mounting hardware 

• E2313 Power wheelchair accessory, harness for upgrade to expandable controller, including all fasteners, connectors and mounting hardware, each 

• E2376 Power wheelchair accessory, expandable controller, including all related electronics and mounting hardware, replacement only 

• E2377 Power wheelchair accessory, expandable controller, including all related electronics and mounting hardware, upgrade provided at initial issue 

In the joint publication, the DME MACs provide key descriptions/definitions for these devices and provide examples of proper use. 

“Suppliers need to read the entire code descriptions as many of the wheelchair accessory codes include all the necessary switches, mounting hardware, etc., and, therefore, such switches, mounting hardware, etc., are not separately payable,” they state. 

Go here to read the entire bulletin. 

In other coding news for power wheelchairs, NCART reports the DME MACs have removed all of the ICD-10 Dx codes from the wheelchair seating policy. Go here to read that bulletin. 

Therafirm marks 25 years with Knit-Rite 

HAMLET, N.C. - Therafirm is marking the 25th anniversary of its acquisition by Kansas City-based Knit-Rite. The acquisition allowed Therafirm to update its production floor to a state-of-the-art facility and expand its line of medical grade compression hosiery, it says. “Therafirm medical compression products may not sound like a fun or fascinating product to produce, but the technology in the plant, the quality of machinery, the experienced team of knitters, sewers, processors and testers are what make Therafirm a world-class textile company,” said Tim Tompson, plant manager. Therafirm and Knit-Rite are celebrating the anniversary throughout the year at the Hamlet, N.C., facility. Therafirm was launched in the mid-1950s as Parke-Davis Pharmaceutical Co. Its flagship product: the first gradient compression stocking to be marketed in the U.S. Park-Davis became Therafirm in the mid-1980s, then Therafirm was acquired by Charles Schoolfraft in 1990 and opened a new facility in Ellerbe, N.C., in 1996. Therafirm was purchased by Knit-Rite in 2000 and both companies were purchased by Thuasne in 2021. 

Angel Care Medical breaks ground on new building 

BOARDMAN, Ohio – Angel Care Medical will expand with a new building next year, according to a local news report. The company, a provider of durable medical equipment (DME) to long-term care facilities, hospice agencies and nursing homes, hosted a groundbreaking ceremony in September at 8500 Crossroads Drive, Mahoning Matters reports. “This new facility marks a significant milestone in our commitment to the community,” said Dan Halas, president. “The new space will allow us to expand our inventory, streamline our services and better support our partners and patients with the prompt and professional care they deserve.” The 15,000-square-foot building is expected to be completed by 2026. On its website, Angel Care Medical says it serves the Tri State area with negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT), bariatric beds, patient lifts, bariatric wheelchairs, mobility chairs and reclining chairs. 

FreeStyle with autoSAT now available in US 

BALL GROUND, Ga. - CAIRE’s FreeStyle Comfort portable oxygen concentrator with proprietary autoSAT technology is now available in the United States. The autoSAT technology adjusts oxygen delivery to deliver a consistent volume of oxygen with the patient’s breath rate during activity or at rest. “Today’s announcement is a major step forward in serving today’s oxygen therapy users with the technology they need to support a more active lifestyle and better quality of life,” said Ken Hosako, president and CEO of CAIRE Inc. “Instead of the respiratory patient having to adapt to their portable oxygen device, this device adapts to them through our patented technology.” Last month, the FreeStyle Comfort with autoSAT was prominently featured in a study by Georgia State University published in the journal Pulmonary Therapy. The bench study compared FiO₂ delivery from POCs, wall oxygen and a standalone concentrator (CAIRE Companion 5) using a respiratory failure-specific lung simulator replicating an adult with chronic respiratory disease at 15-40 breaths/min. Among the POCs tested, the FreeStyle Comfort, with or without autoSAT, consistently achieved the highest or equivalent FiO2 at elevated breathing rates (30-40 bpm). However, at lower rates (15-20 bpm), results varied by device. The study was funded by CAIRE but was independently conducted and analyzed at Georgia State University. 

DwellSafe says it’s bringing clinical-level home-safety assessments into every home 

RALEIGH, N.C. - DwellSafe has officially launched its artificial intelligence-powered home safety and accessibility platform to help older adults, people with disabilities and post-acute patients live more safely and independently. The launch coincides with National Falls Prevention Month, which aims to raise awareness about the risks of falls and promote strategies to prevent them. “DwellSafe was created to bring clinical-level home-safety assessments into every home—supporting families who want safer aging and health systems striving to reduce preventable readmissions,” said James Taylor, MD, MPH, co-founder and CEO of DwellSafe. “Now we can connect a clinical team into any home, anytime – breaking down barriers to care and tackling the risks that drive poor outcomes. It’s like putting a clinician in your pocket.” Using just a smartphone, families, caregivers, and patients can use DwellSafe’s platform to scan the home, answer adaptive health questions and receive a personalized, clinician-reviewed safety plan with clear next steps. One Health, a leading primary-care clinic in Charlotte, N.C., has begun using DwellSafe with its highest-risk patients as they transition from hospital or skilled-nursing stays to home, where falls are a leading cause of costly readmissions. “DwellSafe gives our team a clinically reviewed window into a patient’s home,” said Mark Collins, MD, chief strategy officer at One Health. “The platform is unlike anything we’ve seen before, and it aligns with our whole-person care mission. We’re starting with our highest-risk patients, but we see this becoming a value-driver across primary care for our Medicare population and those at moderate to high risk of falls.” In addition to health care providers, DwellSafe is also expanding through national partnerships, including a National Council on Aging grant enabling EMS responders in North Carolina, a collaboration with Rebuilding Together to assist low-income homeowners and veterans, and a new relationship with Lowe’s to broaden access to home-safety solutions nationwide. 

• Related: Jim Greatorex helps push for smarter home access 

Henry Schein kicks of Practice Pink to advance cancer prevention 

MELVILLE, N.Y. - Henry Schein has kicked off its Practice Pink program, an annual global initiative aimed at raising awareness and supporting efforts to prevent, detect and treat cancer. As part of the program, the company offers dental and medical health care professionals a variety of pink products, including health care consumables, practice supplies and apparel. “At Henry Schein, we believe collective action can make a difference in the lives of individuals and families impacted by cancer,” said Mark Hillebrandt, vice president and chief digital officer, Henry Schein. “Practice Pink is a simple yet powerful way for our global health care community to come together through small actions, like customers choosing a pink product, that can advance important work and reflect our shared commitment to health, hope and healing.” Over the past 19 years, Henry Schein says the program has contributed more than $2.1 million to cancer-related causes, helping to advance vital research, expand access to care and promote health care worldwide. The program supports the American Cancer Society and the Joe Andruzzi Foundation in the U.S., as well as various organizations in Europe. It is part of Henry Schein Cares, the company’s global corporate citizenship program.