Reporter's Notebook

We talk a lot in this industry about consolidation. This month was no different, with the specter (such a seasonal word, as I write this mid-October) of competitive bidding looming over providers large and small.  Take our story on a recent HME Newspoll (page 3) that showed 90% of respondents believe the bidding program will further consolidate an already-shrinking industry.   That’s certainly looking like a safe bet. Large national providers are reporting an increase in...

I’m out of shape. That is, I was feeling out of shape, and out of my element, when, ahead of the July 4th holiday, I found myself trying to report and write an initial follow-up story to CMS’s proposed plans for the next round of competitive bidding.   Bid ceilings? Remote Item Delivery? Wake me up when it’s over.  But I’m here today to talk specifically about the proposal to include continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) in the program. Providers are, once...

$2 million here. $10 million there. Another day, another brief detailing the latest allegations and convictions for DME fraud in the federal Medicare program.  “Why,” I recently asked Editor Liz while typing up the latest fraud item from the DOJ, “do people risk their freedom – and their good name – for a measly few million bucks?”  Well! This latest one turns out to be a fraud scheme to the tune of $1 billion for medically unnecessary equipment...

I was talking to Dr. Arti Masturzo, the chief medical officer at CCS, about the company’s latest study, which connects the importance of preserving CGM access through DME channels with addressing physician burnout.  That’s right: There’s so many people being diagnosed with diabetes, many of whom clamoring for a continuous glucose monitor - what she referred to as “the surge” - that physicians report being overwhelmed not only by the sheer volume of patients,...

DALLAS – The people! The products! The parties! By the time you read this, Medtrade will be in high gear, but as I write this on Valentine’s Day, we are sifting through educational sessions to attend and divvying up the party invites (as a small staff, we divide and conquer). Also, I’m not a party person. Now that I’m a grown adult, I can say that part OUT LOUD.   However, it’s no secret the HME industry likes a good party. Or, as Medtrade show organizers...

One of the last things we do with every issue is hammer out a cartoon idea. Sometimes this is fun and easy; other times, it’s a slog that we have to sleep on. This was one of those months where it was the latter. Since we’re working on the January issue and getting ready to put this whole wacky year (in HME, in politics, in life) to bed, I half-seriously suggested a big peace sign, no other messaging. You see, I’m feeling in need of a fresh start and a fresh outlook as...

“You have mild sleep apnea.” Wait, what?!  After several months of appointment scheduling, first with my primary care physician who, to her credit, took my sleep concerns very seriously, and then with the sleep doc (sleep doctors are a busy lot!) and then a home sleep study (thank you, WatchPAT), the verdict was in.  You see, I wake up several times a night, exacerbated by an inability to then fall back asleep. I am, in other words, tired.   However, as a...

As we were barreling toward yet another writing deadline in early September, I messaged Editor Liz to say: “It's funny, I usually pawn off new location" stories on (Contributing Writer) Tracy, but I have enjoyed the three interviews in a row I did for October, all with companies we haven't talked to before.”  I always enjoy talking to providers, but I tend to direct these more focused stories to Tracy because they are easier (and, frankly, a little more fun) to write....

Recently, I talked to a sleep medicine specialist about the possibilities of AI-enabled technology for that patient population; the next I was talking to a diabetes company about the AI-enabled technology for those patients.  I can’t open my inbox without multiple daily pitches on the latest AI technology. It’s all very heady stuff for this writer who, until recently, found my eyes glazing over every time I heard the word algorithm.   But, the more people use it,...

There’s an old adage in the news biz: “If it bleeds, it leads.”  While I’ll admit there’s some truth to that, it doesn’t mean reporters enjoy it. Now, granted, we here at HME News are not exactly competing with the big guys out there, but we have our fair share of less than stellar news we have to report on and publish. And it’s not unusual for Editor Liz and I to bat headline ideas back and forth (“does this sound too negative?”) to ensure...