In brief: Supplies access, WellSky partnership, NHIA awards, Dynarex expansion
By HME News Staff
Updated 9:18 AM CDT, Fri April 17, 2026
BIDDEFORD, Maine – The United Ostomy Associations of America, Inc. (UOAA) has launched a nationwide survey for end users of ostomy and urological supplies and has invited providers to share the survey with their customers.
UOAA requests providers use the following language when promoting the survey:
“We have teamed up with UOAA and need your help. Your experience helps protect patient safety and access to the supplies you depend on. United Ostomy Associations of America, Inc. (UOAA) is asking people who use ostomy or catheter supplies to share their experience in the survey Keeping Me Safe: A Survey About Access to Ostomy and Catheter Supplies.”
The survey seeks to learn:
- Are people able to get the supplies they need?
- Are those supplies working well?
- What happens when supplies are delayed or changed?
Participation is voluntary, and responses will be anonymous. The results will only be shared in summary form with Congress and Medicare officials to help protect patient safety and access to medically necessary supplies. The results of the survey may also be published in a medical journal.
The survey is open until May 11. Go here to access the survey
NHIA announces 2026 innovation award finalists
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The National Home Infusion Association (NHIA) has announced the finalists for its 2026 Exhibitor Innovation Award. The award recognizes groundbreaking products or services that advance the home and alternate site infusion industry.
The finalists are:
- CE Cleanrooms - Paragon
- Germfree Laboratories, LLC – Smarthood
- Mandolin
- POM Partners, Inc. - POM Safe
More than 150 companies exhibiting at the NHIA 2026 Annual Conference (NHIA 2026) were invited to submit entries for the Innovation Award. The winner, selected by a panel of experts from NHIA provider member organizations with extensive industry experience, will be announced at the NHIA 2026 General Session on April 20, 2026.
“I would like to thank all of the companies who participated as well as all of the exhibitors at NHIA’s Annual Conference that supply our industry and enable us to provide our patients the best care possible,” said Greg LoPresti, chair of NHIA’s board of directors. “I am continually impressed by the ways our supplier organizations are innovating to solve problems, from accurate and safe drug delivery to data analysis that allows us to improve care.”
Interested parties can learn more about the finalists and their products at the NHIA 2026 Exposition April 18-22 in Denver.
Nursing assistant sentence to nine years for orthotic brace scheme
POMPANO BEACH, Fla. – Christian “Chris” Cruz, a nursing assistant from Pompano Beach, Fla., was sentenced to nine years in prison for his role in an $11.4 million health care fraud and wire fraud conspiracy for providing Medicare beneficiaries with unneeded orthotic braces, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ). Cruz owned and operated a durable medical equipment (DME) supplier based in Florida and submitted millions of dollars in false claims to Medicare for medically unnecessary orthotic braces. He and his co-conspirator paid illegal kickbacks and bribes to obtain signed doctor orders. They used these orders to ship orthotic braces to Medicare beneficiaries nationwide and then claim payment from Medicare, including to beneficiaries who neither requested nor needed the braces. Cruz also claimed that he was the sole owner and operator of the company, when in fact he shared ownership in the company with his co-conspirator, a convicted felon. Medicare would not have allowed the company to enroll with Medicare if it had known about Cruz’s co-conspirator. The co-conspirator has been charged but remains at large. Cruz was also ordered to pay $3,712,345.70 in restitution and $724,871 in forfeiture. FBI and HHS-OIG investigated the case.
Home Instead partners with Hilarity for Charity on caregiver grants
OMAHA, Neb. – Home Instead, a provider of in-home care for older adults, and Hilarity for Charity (HFC), the nonprofit founded by Seth Rogen and Lauren Miller Rogen, have expanded their national partnership to support families navigating Alzheimer’s disease. Building on a longstanding relationship, the collaboration names Home Instead as the preferred home care provider for HFC’s Caregiver Grant Program, which provides free respite care hours for families caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. “We’ve always believed that getting quality care shouldn’t depend on your financial situation, and this partnership helps us support more families in a real, tangible way,” said Seth Rogen, co-founder of Hilarity for Charity. Through the grant program, Home Instead Care Pros will provide in-home care support to recipients through the company’s nationwide network of franchises, helping ease the physical and emotional burden of caregiving and enabling individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease to remain safely at home. Since first partnering with Hilarity for Charity, Home Instead has supported more than 3,000 families, providing more than 550,000 hours of in-home care through the organization’s care grant program.
Laura Williard honored by HOMES for her advocacy work
WASHINGTON – Laura Williard, senior vice president of payer relations for AAHomecare, was honored with the Karyn Estrella Heart of the Industry Award by the Home Medical Equipment and Services Association (HOMES) during its recent annual conference, according to a bulletin from AAHomecare. The award recognizes exceptional advocacy on behalf of consumers and the HME community at both the state and national levels. “Receiving an award in honor of a woman who fought every day for our industry, who also became a very dear friend to me, will always be one of the major highlights of my career,” said Williard. “I hope Karyn has been smiling down at all the work we are doing for our industry and cheering us on. Thank you to Lauryn Estrella and the HOMES board of directors for this wonderful honor.”
WellSky partners with Google Cloud on provider directory data
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – WellSky has announced an expanded partnership with Google Cloud to embed advanced artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities into WellSky CarePort solutions with a focus on improving the accuracy and reliability of provider directory data used in post-acute care discharge decisions. WellSky is embedding Google Cloud’s Vertex AI and Gemini models, along with BigQuery, to power its data infrastructure. “This marks a major industry shift, with health care moving beyond static directories to intelligent, continuously validated data,” said Bill Miller, chairman and CEO of WellSky. “By bringing together WellSky’s network and Google Cloud’s AI, we’re enabling hospitals to make smarter discharge decisions and strengthening outcomes for both providers and patients.” As a result of the expanded partnership, WellSky CarePort solutions can continuously update provider data, reflecting real-time changes in services, insurance acceptance, and coverage area across post-acute providers, WellSky says. This helps hospitals and care teams identify appropriate referral options and match patients with post-acute providers based on real-time availability, services, and expertise, the company says.
Dynarex expands personal care portfolio
MONTVALE, N.J. – Dynarex Corporation has expanded its DynaCare personal care portfolio to support skin health, hygiene and comfort across a wide range of health care and assisted-care settings. The new lineup includes lotions, cleansers, odor-control solutions and bathing products that simplify daily care routines and address the practical challenges faced by caregivers and clinicians. The launch is part of an ongoing expansion of the DynaCare portfolio, with additional products planned in the months ahead, the company says. "Personal care plays a critical role in patient comfort and overall health, but it also directly impacts workflow and efficiency in care settings," said Shauna Winston, RRT, RCP, category manager at Dynarex. "This expansion of the DynaCare line supports both – giving caregivers practical, reliable solutions that integrate easily into daily routines while helping maintain skin integrity and hygiene." The expanded DynaCare product line is available through Dynarex's national distribution network. Additional product information and supporting materials are available at dynarex.com or through Dynarex sales representatives.
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