In brief: CQRC on CBP, WellSky on CarePort-Epic integration, Medtronic on new diabetes lead

WASHINGTON – The Council for Quality Respiratory Care (CQRC) commends the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for not including supplemental oxygen and continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) devices and supplies in the next round of the competitive bidding program (CBP). Listening to concerns outlined by the CQRC and other oxygen stakeholders, Medicare’s decision to omit the products will lock in previous savings, while protecting patient access to life-sustaining oxygen supplies and services, the organization said. “We commend the administration for recognizing and responding to our concerns and not including supplemental oxygen and CPAP in the competitive bidding program in 2026,” said Robin Menchen, CQRC chair. “Each day, some 1.5 million Americans rely on home respiratory therapy, including supplemental oxygen, to treat their conditions, improve their quality of life, and maintain their independence. The CQRC applauds CMS’s decision to leave oxygen and CPAP out of the CBP to preserve access to home-based respiratory care for these beneficiaries.” To further refine the supplemental oxygen benefit and proactively address remaining barriers to patient access, CQRC strongly supports the passage of the Supplemental Oxygen Access Reform (SOAR) Act (S. 1406/H.R. 2902) – also championed by patient, patient advocacy, disease and physician groups nationwide. It says the SOAR Act would strengthen fraud and abuse policies, implement patient protections, support access to respiratory therapy services, and strengthen access to supplemental oxygen care in rural and underserved communities.  

BOC names new executive committee, board members 

OWINGS MILLS, Md. – The Board of Certification/Accreditation (BOC) has named members to its Executive Committee and elected two board members. 

Members of the BOC Executive Committee for 2026 include: 

• Chair: Daniel Griffis III, PharmD, pharmacist-in-charge at Rainbow Drugstore in Brunswick, Ga. 
• Vice-chair: Angela Presley, Ph.D., BOCPD, COF, program manager of entrepreneurship at Dartmouth College in Hanover, N.H. 
• Secretary: James “Jim” Mathers, COF, LOF, DME coordinator at Bucks County Orthopedic Specialists in Warrington, Pa. 
• Treasurer: L. Bradley “Brad” Watson, BOCO, BOCP, LPO, past president and regional manager at Clarksville Limb and Brace Inc., a Bionic Company in Clarksville, Tenn. 
• Member-at-large: Rick Todd, COF, president and managing partner at Collier & Laurence Orthotics & Prosthetics in Sacramento, Calif. 
• Immediate past chair: Cameron Stewart, BOCO, BOCP, co-founder of Alcam Medical Orthotics and Prosthetics in Riverside, Calif. 

New board members are: 

• Milton R. Reed, BOCO, BOCPD, LPO, practice manager and O&P practitioner for Atlanta Medical Clinic in Atlanta, Ga.  
• John W. “Sion” Owen, Jr., BOCPD, CDME, owner of Solutions Orthocare Group, LLC DBA Foot Savi, a medical boutique in Columbia, S.C.  

WellSky integrates CarePort network with Epic Toolbox   

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — WellSky’s CarePort Community Referral Network solution is now part of the Epic Toolbox category for Community Resource Network. Epic users can now initiate, send and secure referrals directly to WellSky’s network of more than 130,000 post-acute and community-based providers from within their existing Epic interface. “Providers today must continually demonstrate high quality performance, and they’re looking for solutions to support exceptional patient care and efficient patient flow,” said WellSky Chairman and CEO Bill Miller. “We’re making it easier for providers to connect patients with the right care at the right time, helping reduce delays and improve overall care coordination, all within their established systems.” Through a standardized, electronic referral process embedded directly into the Epic Case Management application, care teams can connect patients with a broad range of providers who can accept and manage referrals online, including skilled nursing facilities, home health agencies, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, long-term acute care hospitals, transportation services, durable medical equipment suppliers and social and behavioral health organizations.  

• Related: WellSky launches next-generation intake solution enhanced with AI 

CRT organizations set stage for 2026 

ROCHESTER, N.Y. - The National Coalition for Assistive & Rehab Technology (NCART), as well as five other industry organizations, will host a webcast on Dec. 17 at 3 p.m. EST outlining their accomplishments in 2025 and their priorities for 2026 and beyond. “2025 was a very active year for the complex rehab technology (CRT) industry,” NCART says. “CRT industry stakeholders have come together to offer a free webinar for all CRT providers, manufacturers and clinicians. The group will provide an overview of 2025, but more importantly, what lies ahead in 2026 and how we can work together to strengthen the industry and the people we serve.” Other participating organizations: U.S. Rehab, AAHomecare, The Clinician Task Force, the International Registry of Rehabilitation Technology Suppliers (iNRRTS) and the Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA). Speakers will include: 

• Wayne Grau, NCART 
• Julie Piriano, NCART 
• Ted Metcalf, U.S. Rehab 
• Andrea Madsen, NRRTS 
• Andrea VanHook, RESNA 
• Laura Williard, AA Homecare 
• Tamara Kittelson, CTF 

Register for the webcast here. Space is limited to 300 attendees. 

Medtronic announces executive changes 

GALWAY, Ireland – Medtronic has announced that Ryan Weispfenning, vice president and head of investor relations, will join its diabetes business to establish and lead the investor relations function for MiniMed, the planned new diabetes company. He brings more than 25 years of experience with Medtronic to his new role. “After leading Medtronic investor relations for the past decade, I am now honored to help establish the investor relations function for MiniMed as we prepare for its intended separation into an independent, public company,” said Weispfenning. “This is a pivotal moment for the diabetes business, and I look forward to partnering with the MiniMed leadership team and engaging with the investor community to articulate our long-term strategy, growth opportunities and commitment to improving outcomes for people living with diabetes worldwide.” Medtronic also announced that Ingrid Goldberg will join Medtronic as vice president and head of investor relations. Goldberg brings more than 20 years of industry experience, spanning the financial, medical device and life science sectors, most recently as vice president of finance and investor relations at Novocure, where she led the investor relations, communications, and business development functions. “I am thrilled to join Medtronic, an organization whose work transforms patient lives every day,” said Goldberg. “The company’s compelling product portfolio is inspiring, and I am eager to share the progress and innovation that define Medtronic and the people we serve. It is a privilege to contribute to a company so deeply committed to improving human health.” 

• Related: Medtronic to split off diabetes biz 

Ottobock celebrates community involvement 

AUSTIN, Texas – Ottobock North America is celebrating a milestone year of community movement events, national partnerships and expanded support for adaptive athletes across the United States and Canada. This year, Ottobock hosted nine major community movement events, including Full Circle Movement gatherings in partnership with Desert Challenge Games, Angel City Games and Texas Parasport Games, as well as a standalone Running Clinic at the Elite Performance Training facility, a practice space for the Dallas Cowboys and other top-tier athletes. "The most powerful part of every event isn't the running blades or the drills, it's the community," said Lucas Crisanti, CPO and lead coach for Ottobock's movement programs. "Watching people step into new possibilities, encourage each other, and remember what their bodies are capable of is the reason we show up. Being a coach in these spaces is an honor. Every participant, whether they're taking their first steps or chasing new goals, inspires us to keep pushing the world forward through movement. Sport is a universal language, movement is medicine, and we play a part in making sure that anyone who wants to join in has the chance." Through programs like Full Circle Movement and the company's exclusive Running Clinics, Ottobock says it brought hands-on education, mobility opportunities and technical expertise to hundreds of people with limb loss and limb difference, further cementing its role as the global authority in adaptive sports. 

Binson’s expands into Indiana 

CENTER LINE, Mich. – Binson’s Medical Equipment & Supplies has opened its newest full-service location in Indianapolis. Located on Castlegate Drive, it features a new showroom designed to be a comprehensive resource for the community. Customers can test drive mobility scooters, sit in power wheelchairs and speak with on-site experts about hospital bed setups. The new location also stocks a robust selection of CPAP machines, masks and accessories. The family-owned business opened in 1953. 

• Related: Binson’s turns 70