Tag: aahomecare
AAHomecare: Industry ‘shining’ as pressure mounts
October 19, 2021Theresa Flaherty, Managing Editor
ATLANTA – There’s an increasing amount of pressure on CMS to finalize a DMEPOS proposed rule that would adjust payment rates for HME, AAHomecare’s Tom Ryan said in an update at Medtrade East on Tuesday morning.
A letter asking CMS to act on the rule, published a year ago, garnered 95 signatures last week from members of the House of Representatives, including champions on the influential Ways and Means and Energy and Commerce committees.
“That’s in the hands of...
Steve Ackerman to be honored at Medtrade East
October 14, 2021HME News Staff
WASHINGTON – Provider Steve Ackerman has been named the 2021 Van Miller Homecare Champion.
Ackerman, president and CEO of Spectrum Medical in Silver Spring, Md., has held various leadership roles for AAHomecare, most recently as chairman of the board. He has spoken before Congress and CMS as an industry expert, and represented the HME industry as a champion for HME policy priorities.
The Van Miller Homecare Champion Award recognizes and honors AAHomecare members who reflect...
Industry challenges: ‘They’re concerning to everyone’
October 1, 2021Theresa Flaherty, Managing Editor
WASHINGTON – AAHomecare kicked off the busy fall legislative session with its first-ever Virtual Legislative Conference last week and a sign-on letter pressing CMS to finalize a DMEPOS proposed rule that would adjust payment rates.
The letter, spearheaded by Reps. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., a ranking member on the House Energy & Commerce Committee, and Paul Tonko, D-N.Y., is the first in a two-step process to get relief for the industry, says Jay Witter.
“We’ve...
CMS sunsets CMN for home oxygen
October 1, 2021Theresa Flaherty, Managing Editor
WASHINGTON – CMS on Sept. 27 posted a final national coverage determination for home oxygen, but now industry stakeholders must “wait and see” what the DME Medicare Administrative Contractors do with the changes.
While the effective date of the NCD is technically Sept. 27, it won’t be implemented until a later date, when the DME MACs update their local coverage determinations.
“There are a lot of positives here, and we will wait and see,” says...
Rising costs and stagnant reimbursements are squeezing HME suppliers
October 1, 2021HME News Staff
That’s a phrase I’ve used repeatedly over the last year-and-a-half in interviews, op-eds, and discussions with policymakers and HME leaders. As AAHomecare continues the aggressive national media outreach campaign we started this year, and also engages Capitol Hill and CMS to secure much-needed and long-overdue adjustments to Medicare reimbursement rates, I know I’ll have ample opportunity to continue to point out HME’s essential contributions to meeting the challenges posed...
DMEScripts adds muscle behind e-prescribing
September 24, 2021Liz Beaulieu, Editor
INDIANAPOLIS – The founding investors behind DMEscripts believe their unique alliance will make a big difference in selling referral sources on e-prescribing, an obstacle to adoption so far.
Apria Healthcare, Lincare, AdaptHealth and Rotech Healthcare, along with AAHomecare and VGM & Associates, launched DMEscripts, an industry backed e-prescribing platform that’s open to any provider, in September.
“That’s the thesis under the whole thing,” said Dan...
Ostomy supplies: Pay now or pay later, stakeholders say
September 24, 2021Theresa Flaherty, Managing Editor
WASHINGTON – With reimbursement declining from a variety of payers, stakeholders are banding together to advocate for better pricing and access to innovative ostomy products.
“They are lowering reimbursement – and some already have pretty low reimbursement to begin with – to the point where only certain products are able to be provided,” said Laura Williard, vice president of payer relations for AAHomecare. “(For example), there are managed care organizations...
Industry agenda heats up: 'It’s an easy story to tell’
September 17, 2021Theresa Flaherty, Managing Editor
WASHINGTON – Industry stakeholders are speeding up the drum beat on the impact of changed cost structures and supply chain issues on HME providers, says Tom Ryan, president and CEO of AAHomecare.
“We need providers to reach out to their members and talk about how they’ve shined throughout the pandemic – the role they’ve played – and yet continue to take reimbursement rates from five years ago,” he said. “It’s an easy story to tell, and...
Providers scramble to get a handle on glove issues
September 17, 2021Theresa Flaherty, Managing Editor
YARMOUTH, Maine - The demand for medical gloves has surged as much as 200% since the start of the public health emergency, creating shortages across the health care system and driving up costs for HME providers, say stakeholders.
“The need for gloves and personal protective equipment has greatly increased, so there’s just not enough supply to keep up,” said Laura Williard, vice president of payer relations for AAHomecare, which recently convened a Glove Workgroup to address...
In brief: Heartland wraps up, Medtrade East masks up
September 17, 2021HME News Staff
WATERLOO, Iowa – VGM welcomed nearly 1,000 guests for its 20th annual Heartland Conference last week.
The conference, which is usually held in June, was moved to September to help ensure health and safety amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Organizers took precautions like moving all social events outdoors and requiring masks indoors.
“As leaders in the health care industry, we wanted to do everything we could, taking all proper precautions, to help keep everyone safe during...