Specialty Providers

BANNOCKBURN, Ill. – Option Care Health’s cash flow during the first quarter was negatively impacted by the Change Healthcare cyberattack, but the company has not changed its outlook for the full year, executives said on a recent earnings call.  From the date of the cyberattack on February 21 through the rest of the quarter, Option Care was unable to submit more than half its claims, said John Rademacher, president and CEO.   “This has resulted in a detrimental...

WATERLOO, Iowa – VGM’s Heartland Conference will host Focus at Heartland this year, a change in format for Essentially Women’s annual conference that will allow organizers to “go above and beyond” what they offer women’s health providers, says Nikki Jensen.  “The abundance of resources and thought leaders that we have at Heartland – this is an unprecedented opportunity to bring it to EW members,” said Jensen, vice president of EW, a division...

WASHINGTON – Hundreds of community pharmacists from 40 states and the District of Columbia visited more than 250 congressional offices to press for PBM reforms during the National Community Pharmacists Association’s Congressional Pharmacy Fly-In April 17-18.   Rep. Buddy Carter, R-Ga., offered attendees insights into what’s happening with PBM reform and how community pharmacists could best press policymakers for progress during their meetings on Capitol Hill.  “Low...

BANNOCKBURN, Ill. – Option Care Health reported revenue of $1.14 billion for the first quarter of 2024, an increase of 12.8% compared to the same quarter last year, despite the disruption caused by the Change Healthcare cyberattack in February.  “The Option Care Health team delivered solid financial results while navigating a disruptive environment,” said John Rademacher, CEO. “I am proud of the resilient enterprise we have built and the team's unwavering commitment...

WASHINGTON – O&P stakeholders will use an upcoming policy forum to press lawmakers to support legislation that will enable patients to receive high-quality care by, among other things, prohibiting “drop shipping.”  The Medicare Orthotics and Prosthetics Patient-Centered Care Act was re-introduced in the Senate in March, just ahead of the American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association’s 2024 Policy Forum, which takes place April 15-16 in Washington. It’s a companion...

LAFAYETTE, La. – Viemed Healthcare has finalized its strategic partnership with East Alabama Health, providing the company with a controlling interest in East Alabama HomeMed.  East Alabama HomeMed provides HME services to patients within the EAH network, which encompasses East Alabama Medical Center in Opelika, Ala., and EAMC-Lanier Hospital in Valley, Ala., with a combined medical staff of 380 physicians, as well as those in the surrounding areas of Eastern Alabama.  "We...

YARMOUTH, Maine – From the COVID-19 pandemic to supply chain challenges, through two recalls and now the exit of a leading manufacturer in the home ventilator market, Roxanne Venard has been in the trenches running a business and taking care of patients.   “We had new products that we had to try to check out, and then the frustration of not being able to get devices and supplies,” said Venard, a registered respiratory therapist and president of Ascent Respiratory Care...

WASHINGTON – Stakeholders are hoping a new white paper will serve as a tool to educate payers and policymakers on the disconnect between rising costs and stagnating reimbursement specifically for enteral nutrition.  Everything from shipping to labor to enteral formulas has seen increases in cost, says Vicki Emch, area vice president of clinical operations for Colorado-based Aveanna Healthcare, who was part of the workgroup that developed the paper, “Challenges in Enteral Nutrition...

WASHINGTON – Sens. Mark Warner, D-Va., and Steve Daines, R-Mont., have introduced a bill that would, among other things prohibit “drop shipping” of custom orthoses and prostheses to Medicare beneficiaries.  The legislation, the Medicare Orthotics and Prosthetics Patient-Centered Care Act, is a companion to a bill introduced in the House in June 2023 and now has 35 co-sponsors.  “The American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association appreciates the support...

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The National Home Infusion Association (NHIA) has developed recommendations for commercial, Medicaid and Medicare Advantage payers to improve patient outcomes and experience, reduce administrative burden, and improve timely access to home infusion services.   The 2024 recommendations, designed to be incorporated into contracts between health plans and home and alternate site infusion providers, address value-based programs, secondary payers, prior authorization,...