In brief: Medicare fraud fight, Inc. 5000 appearances, CRT Awareness Week
By HME News Staff
Updated 10:21 AM CDT, Fri August 21, 2026
WASHINGTON – A new Office of Inspector General (OIG) white paper warns that durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics and supplies (DMEPOS) fraud continues to cost Medicare and taxpayers millions of dollars annually despite increased oversight efforts.
The paper, “The Nation’s Challenge to Combat Durable Medical Equipment Fraud in Medicare,” focuses on three elements that bad actors need to commit fraud: a Medicare-enrolled supplier, a physician order and an enrollee identification number.
Strengthening supplier enrollment
According to the OIG, fraud often begins when bad actors gain access to Medicare billing privileges. They may establish new DMEPOS businesses or purchase existing enrolled suppliers, often concealing ownership through straw owners.
The OIG said current safeguards, including site inspections, surety bonds and background checks, have not fully prevented fraud. Inspectors found that predictable site visits can allow suppliers to temporarily appear compliant, while unreported ownership changes remain difficult to detect. The report also notes that suppliers serving only Medicare Advantage beneficiaries are not required to enroll in traditional Medicare, creating a potential oversight gap.
To address these vulnerabilities, the OIG recommends:
- Stronger and more frequent inspections
- Increased scrutiny of newly enrolled suppliers
- Mandatory electronic enrollment applications
- Enhanced monitoring of ownership changes
- Reconsideration of surety bond requirements that have remained largely unchanged since 2009
The agency also suggests requiring all suppliers billing Medicare Advantage plans to undergo Medicare enrollment screening.
Addressing fraudulent physician orders
According to the OIG, fraudulent physician orders are another critical component of DMEPOS schemes. Inspectors identified several common tactics, including forged documentation, kickbacks paid to physicians, deceptive pre-filled orders and use of stolen provider identification numbers.
The OIG noted that physicians often do not know when their names are used on fraudulent claims. Meanwhile, fraudsters increasingly adapt their billing patterns to evade traditional claims analysis. The agency said the emergence of artificial intelligence presents another challenge, enabling the production of realistic but fraudulent documentation.
To combat these issues, the OIG recommends:
- Involving physicians more directly in fraud detection. Suggested approaches include electronic verification of orders before claims are paid and providing physicians with reports showing DMEPOS claims submitted under their names
- Expand the use of advanced analytics and AI tools
- Broaden medical review efforts beyond billing education
- Strengthen payment suspension practices when fraud is suspected
- Requiring Medicare Advantage organizations to submit ordering provider identification numbers, which it says are key data points for fraud detection but are often missing from encounter data
Protecting beneficiary information
According to the OIG, another vulnerability involves Medicare beneficiary identification numbers. The agency said fraudsters obtain these numbers through cyberattacks, purchases on illicit marketplaces, social engineering scams and misuse of Medicare lookup tools.
The OIG cited cases where stolen beneficiary information was used to bill Medicare for unnecessary or nonexistent equipment. It also raises concerns about online tools that allow authorized users to look up beneficiary identifiers, arguing that these systems can be exploited to harvest large quantities of enrollee data.
The OIG recommends:
- Either discontinue or significantly restrict access to lookup tools
- Work with social media companies to prevent the sale of Medicare information
- Expand restrictions on unsolicited marketing contacts beyond phone calls to include texts, emails and other digital communications
- Create more opportunities for beneficiaries to verify claims and explore entirely new methods of protecting Medicare identifiers, similar to fraud protections used in the credit card industry
CMS response
CMS largely agreed with the concerns raised in the report and highlighted actions already underway. These include the launch of its Fraud Defense Operations Center, or "Medicare War Room," which the agency says has suspended more than $2.1 billion in potentially fraudulent payments during its first year, including $1.9 billion related to DMEPOS billing.
The agency also pointed to a six-month enrollment moratorium for certain DMEPOS suppliers, increased use of artificial intelligence and data analytics, enhanced monitoring of beneficiary lookup tools and an ongoing requests for information seeking ideas for additional anti-fraud measures.
MedEdge Solutions, Sphinx Strategies launch partnership to boost pharmacy growth
INDIANAPOLIS – MedEdge Solutions and Sphinx Strategies have announced a strategic partnership, named Protocol to Proof, to power growth into new therapies and business lines for specialty and infusion pharmacies, and to strengthen business development across the industry as a whole. "Growth in this market has always been rationed by talent," said Brandon Carpenter, CEO and founder of MedEdge Solutions. "Every new therapy or line of business demands two scarce skill sets at once: the people who can get you licensed and contracted, and the people who can shoulder the data obligations that begin the moment you go live. Very few organizations can recruit and retain both simultaneously. That constraint is now gone. Sphinx executes the launch, MedEdge validates and automates the associated data intelligence, and the operator is free to scale." The companies say the partnership takes aim at the constraint that limits growth for nearly every independent operator in this market: expanding into a new therapy or business line requires proving you can both launch it correctly – accreditation, licensure, payer contracting, clinical readiness – and deliver the data that follows it, and almost nobody can staff for both. Sphinx will cover clinical program design and compliance, operational workflow and staff readiness, business development, payer and PBM contracting, licensure strategy, accreditation and certification readiness, and patient access. MedEdge will locate the data inside the systems these organizations already run, validating it against manufacturer, payer and program rules, resolving exceptions before anything moves and automating delivery to every party that requires it.
Numotion opens Ally Program to all catheter users
BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – Numotion Catheters is expanding access to its Ally Program to all catheter users, making its growing library of bladder health education, practical resources, and community support available to anyone who uses intermittent catheters, regardless of where they receive their medical supplies. Originally launched in 2025 for Numotion Catheters customers, Ally has grown into a trusted destination for educational content, expert guidance, and peer connection. Along with expanded access, Ally now features a streamlined registration process, making it easier than ever to get started. "Managing bladder health is about more than medical supplies," said Neill Rowland, senior vice president of Numotion's Catheters division. "Ally provides education, conversation, and support that empowers people to navigate everyday life with greater confidence. We're excited to make those resources more accessible than ever." The Ally Program offers podcasts, educational articles, videos, webinars and a Community Forum designed to help people navigate everyday life with confidence. Numotion develops content with guidance from health care professionals, medical supply educators and individuals with lived experience, providing practical information alongside real-world perspectives.
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Rehab Medical makes 5th appearance on Inc. 5000
INDIANAPOLIS – Rehab Medical has made the 2026 Inc. 5000 list of fastest growing private companies in America, moving up to 4,309. It’s the company’s fifth appearance on the list. “Receiving this award reflects the strength of our growth and the people behind it,” said Kevin Gearheart, Rehab Medical president. “By investing in our team and developing leaders from within, we are building a stronger company and improving outcomes for the patients we serve.” Rehab Medical credits its rise in the rankings to the launch of its RISE initiative, a program focused on the personal and professional development of employees, and the launch of its Assistive Technology Professional (ATP) Development program, a comprehensive training pathway designed to prepare employees for the ATP certification career path. These initiatives resulted in the promotion of 33 employees across the company in the first half of 2026, three of which were newly created vice-presidential leadership roles aimed at supporting operational initiatives and strategic growth.
MiniMed now shipping new MiniMed Flex
NORTHRIDGE, Calif. – MiniMed’s MiniMed Flex system is now commercially shipping in the U.S. with the Instinct sensor, made by Abbott. For the first time, people with diabetes can use MiniMed's smallest and only app-controlled insulin pump with Abbott's smallest sensor, with up to 15 days of wear. "People with diabetes deserve technology that works hard without asking much in return," said Que Dallara, CEO at MiniMed. "That's what we're delivering with MiniMed Flex. The pump can stay tucked away, the algorithm is working around the clock, and now with Instinct, users can go up to 15 days between sensor changes. This is another step toward the hands-free future that MiniMed is building, where diabetes technology does more so people can think about it less." Powered by SmartGuard technology, MiniMed Flex automatically adjusts insulin delivery around the clock, while Meal Detection technology can help compensate when a bolus is occasionally missed or carbohydrates are underestimated. The system holds up to 300 units of insulin and works with the Extended infusion set, which can be worn for up to seven days. The expanded availability coincides with the launch of a new consumer campaign for MiniMed Flex, the company's first major marketing campaign since the system's U.S. launch with Simplera Sync earlier this summer. Built around the promise, "Nothing comes close to freedom you can feel," the campaign highlights the system's discreet design, app control and 24/7 automation, and how those features can help make diabetes management less intrusive in everyday life.
- Related: MiniMed Flex gains Medicare coverage
Henry Schein, Special Olympics re-up partnership
MELVILLE, N.Y. – Henry Schein, Inc., and Special Olympics have extended their collaboration through 2030, reinforcing their shared commitment to expanding access to health screenings, education and wellness resources for athletes at select Special Olympics events globally. Through this partnership, which began in 2018, Henry Schein donates essential oral health and medical care products for the Special Olympics Healthy Athletes program. “Creating healthier communities requires collaboration and sustained commitment, principles that have been central to Henry Schein since our founding in 1932,” said Kyle Guerin, director, corporate social responsibility, Henry Schein Cares, at Henry Schein. “Extending our partnership with Special Olympics reflects our shared belief that every individual deserves the opportunity to achieve better health and well-being. We are proud to continue supporting programs that help expand access to care, foster inclusion, and equip healthcare professionals with the resources and experience to better serve people with intellectual disabilities.” Since 1997, Healthy Athletes has delivered more than 2 million free health screenings to Special Olympics athletes worldwide and trained more than 300,000 health care professionals and students to treat people with intellectual disabilities (ID). The partnership also empowers and encourages health care providers to volunteer their time and services while increasing their knowledge of best practices in caring for and communicating with people with ID.
Synchrony Medical enrolls study patients for airway clearance system
JERSEY CITY, N.J. and OR YEHUDA, Israel – Synchrony Medical, a respiratory care technology company and creator of the FDA-cleared LibAirty Airway Clearance System, has announced that RELACS (Real Life Evaluation of the LibAirty Airway Clearance System in Adults with Bronchiectasis) is actively enrolling patients at leading U.S. respiratory care centers, including the Medical University of South Carolina, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and Emory University School of Medicine - Pulmonary Clinic in Atlanta. The 12-month prospective observational study is evaluating how integrating LibAirty into routine, home-based therapy affects the health outcomes and quality of life for people living with bronchiectasis, compared to their prior 12-month medical history. “Maintaining daily airway clearance at home is a constant struggle for people with bronchiectasis,” said Dr. Patrick Flume, Director of the Adult Cystic Fibrosis Center at MUSC Health. “Since introducing LibAirty, the feedback has been very positive. Patients are reporting better lung clearance with improved comfort and ease. The RELACS study enables us to capture these observations and evaluate their impact on long-term clinical outcomes over a full year of independent use.” LibAirty is an airway clearance system designed to make daily home therapy simple and effective, the company says. Based on the principles of autogenic drainage, a clinically proven airway clearance technique, the device delivers targeted chest pressure synchronized with app-guided breathing coaching, enabling patients to easily experience therapy independently at home, it says. Earlier clinical studies at Sheba Medical Center and the Medical University of South Carolina found that patients cleared twice as much sputum with LibAirty compared to traditional vest-based therapy, while reporting higher comfort and satisfaction, the company says.
NCART to host CRT Awareness Week in September
LUBBOCK, Texas – The National Coalition for Assistive & Rehab Technology (NCART) has announced that it will host CRT Awareness Week Sept. 14-18 to promote the value of complex rehab technology (CRT). The organization says a main talking point during the week will be the need to pass the Choices for Increased Mobility Act, H.R. 1703. The bill, which would improve access to carbon fiber and titanium manual wheelchairs, was passed by the House of Representatives on July 20. Stakeholders believe it will be picked up by the Senate when lawmakers return from the August recess. A companion bill, S. 247, has already been introduced there. More specifically, the bill would create two new HCPCS codes: one for bases made with titanium or carbon fiber and another for bases made without those materials. It also would allow beneficiaries to upgrade within a code. NCART says more details on CRT Awareness Week are coming soon.
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