Tag: Heartland Conference
Association leaders use State Summit to align TPA response
June 19, 2026HME News Staff
WATERLOO, Iowa - VGM’s recent State Leader Summit gave association leaders something they rarely get: A chance to sit in the same room at a moment when the home medical equipment (HME) industry needs a coordinated response to the accelerating shift to third-party administrators (TPAs).
In recent months, insurers in states from Tennessee to Washington state have tapped TPAs to manage their HME benefit.
“Currently, we've got the third-party administrator piece floating through...
HME Woman of the Year on leadership, adaptability and innovation
June 12, 2026Liz Beaulieu, Editor
WATERLOO, Iowa – After being named the 2026 HME Woman of the Year, Lisa Wells says her focus in the year ahead is simple: pay it forward.
“I came (to Med-South) knowing nothing, and now I’m a senior vice president,” she said after receiving the award at VGM’s Heartland Conference on June 9.
When asked what advice she shares with aspiring leaders, Wells pointed to a mindset she reinforces daily, including a ritual of listening to “Unstoppable” by Sia...
Sweet spot of resupply: Intersection of good data, great team
June 10, 2026Theresa Flaherty
WATERLOO, Iowa – Providers need to measure the success of their resupply program with key metrics, VGM Fulfillment’s Mike DiMarco told Heartland Conference attendees this week.
“Having incomplete or fragmented data makes it difficult to leverage and act on,” said DiMarco, vice president of operations excellence at VGM Fulfillment. “You want to leverage your data and routines to be proactive vs. reactive.”
DiMarco spoke during a panel session titled...
In brief: WOY named, SBA listening session, CMS Medicaid expenditures
June 10, 2026HME News Staff
WATERLOO, Iowa — Lisa Wells has been named 2026 HME Woman of the Year.
Wells, senior vice president of Med-South, was honored during a special ceremony at the VGM Heartland Conference.
“Lisa represents the very best of our industry,” said Jeremy Stolz, CEO of VGM Group, Inc. “Her commitment to patient care, her influence in advancing policy and best practices, and the way she invests in developing others make her an outstanding leader and a truly deserving recipient...
Lisa Wells named WOY
June 9, 2026HME News Staff
WATERLOO, Iowa — Lisa Wells has been named 2026 HME Woman of the Year.
Wells, senior vice president of Med-South, was honored during a special ceremony at the VGM Heartland Conference.
“Lisa represents the very best of our industry,” said Jeremy Stolz, CEO of VGM Group, Inc. “Her commitment to patient care, her influence in advancing policy and best practices, and the way she invests in developing others make her an outstanding leader and a truly deserving recipient...
In brief: VGM’s new collab, Kalogon’s funding, Medline’s milestone
June 5, 2026HME News Staff
WATERLOO, Iowa — VGM & Associates has launched a collaboration with Resmed to help home medical equipment (HME) providers strengthen their sleep therapy programs. By combining VGM’s expanding Total Sleep Services offering with Resmed’s connected sleep health capabilities, the two companies say they create a more connected path from diagnosis to long-term therapy adherence.
The collaboration brings together VGM’s member community and category expertise with Resmed’s...
VGM to name 2026 HME Woman of the Year at Heartland Conference
June 4, 2026HME News Staff
WATERLOO, Iowa – VGM will name the 2026 HME Woman of the Year at its Heartland Conference in Waterloo, Iowa, on Tuesday, June 9. The finalists for the award are:
Jeaneen Cole, vice president of quality and compliance, DASCO HME
Shawna Carlson, director of rehab services, CareLinc Medical Equipment
Lisa Wells, senior vice president, Med-South, Inc.
Julie Osborn, president and CEO, Alliance Rehab and Medical Equipment
Whitney Baker, director of DME operations and integrations, Viemed
Now...
In brief: Appeals transition, Insulet raise, Heartland keynotes
May 8, 2026HME News Staff
WASHINGTON – The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced that, effective May 8, 2026, Chags Health Information Technology LLC (C-HIT) will no longer handle DMEPOS appeals and rebuttals. Responsibility for processing these submissions will transition to the National Provider Enrollment (NPE) DMEPOS contractors.
The two NPE contractors are: Palmetto GBA for the western half of the country (NPEC West) and Novitas for the eastern half (NPEC East).
What this...
VGM Heartland Conference posts record-breaking registration
March 2, 2026HME News Staff
WATEROO, Iowa—VGM’s Heartland Conference had a record-breaking opening registration day Feb. 25 with more than 250 attendees registered, signaling strong momentum and growing enthusiasm for the event, say conference organizers. By comparison, Heartland’s traditional opening day registration totaled just eight attendees in 2025. A major contributor to the increase was the special one-day-only $225 registration rate introduced in celebration of Heartland’s 25th anniversary....
In brief: Claims still on hold, Medline recognition, Soleo Health expansion
October 17, 2025HME News Staff
WASHINGTON – At press time, CMS has instructed all Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) to continue to temporarily hold claims with dates of service of Oct. 1, 2025, and later for services impacted by the expired Medicare legislative payment provisions passed under the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act 2025. This includes all claims paid under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, ground ambulance transport claims, and all Federally Qualified Health Center claims....