Archive: September 2005
Meds: Dispensing fee 'likely' to drop
September 30, 2005HME News Staff
WASHINGTON - A consultant for AAHomecare began circulating a survey to association members and non-members in August with the aim of gathering data that supports the industry's argument that CMS should not reduce the respiratory med dispensing fee in 2006.The surveys were due Sept. 6, and AAHomecare intended to submit the results to CMS by the Sept. 30 deadline.
CMS announced Aug. 1 that the 2006 dispensing fee "will likely be lower than the 2005 level" of $57 a month per patient. The announcement...
Diligence, education pay off in medical supply referrals
September 30, 2005HME News Staff
On the surface, furnishing medical supplies for the respiratory, ostomy and urological markets appears to be a fruitless venture. If a provider isn't careful and diligent in these areas - especially for ostomy - the referrals can hinder more than they help.
But vendors say it is possible to turn a profit supplying patients with these necessary support products if they take the time to educate referral sources and patients about them, and they are judicious about which products they carry and when...
Proposed rule requires airlines to provide free in-flight oxygen
September 30, 2005HME News Staff
WASHINGTON - Many U.S. air carriers and foreign air carriers operating to and from the United States would be required to provide medical oxygen without charge to passengers under a new rule proposed Sept. 7 by the U.S. Department of Transportation. This proposed rule would apply to all passenger carriers operating at least one aircraft with more than 60 seats. Comments on the proposed rule are due by Nov. 7.
Currently, airlines are not required to provide medical oxygen to passengers, and many choose...
Graham-Field delays fuel tariff
September 30, 2005HME News Staff
ATLANTA - Graham-Field announced in early September that it was holding off from passing on a 1% fuel tariff to customers until at least the end of the year. The manufacturer is delaying the increase due to Hurricane Katrina. The company raised its free freight qualifier to $500 effective Sept. 1, 2005. The manufacturer hopes efficiencies like a Web site that allows customers to track orders in real time can help it keep costs down in the future.
New Access Point roster reads like who's who
September 30, 2005HME News Staff
ST. LOUIS -- A 'super group' of HME industry veterans has launched a new manufacturing company, Access Point Medical, that has read - if not authored - some of the industry's most interesting playbooks and is stealing pages from others.
The company's roster reads like a Who's Who list of industry players. One co-chairman is Jerry Jones, who engineered the formation of Apria in 1995. The other co-chair is Tom O'Donnell, the longtime president of Sunrise Medical's North American operations.
Hans Stover,...
Fraudulent providers follow Katrina in La.
September 30, 2005HME News Staff
LAFAYETTE, La. - The Better Business Bureau of Acadiana released an alert recently warning residents of door-to-door salesmen selling power wheelchairs and scooters. The bureau, which serves seven parishes, believes there are several companies operating across the state and to the east and west from Texas to Mississippi. Representatives from the companies are showing up at the doors of Medicare beneficiaries with what appear to be legitimate forms. They then tell beneficiaries that they may be eligible...
Aaron Lauver: Dedicated to rehab
September 30, 2005HME News Staff
MONTANDON, Pa. - When Bob Lauver decided to expand into the rehab market in 1991, he told his then 20-year-old son, Aaron: "Go do it."
Now 34, young Lauver has come a long way since his father - who ran a respiratory company called CPO2 - gave him that terse directive. Though he encountered many difficulties in learning the rehab market, over the course of his education he grew very attached and staunchly dedicated to it.
"When I started in rehab, the parts were scattered on the floor and I had...
Rachel Seeley Mazur: 'I realized I had the passion'
September 30, 2005HME News Staff
WESTERVILLE, Ohio - Never mind that she became CEO at Dasco Home Medical Equipment because she won at rock-paper-scissors. Rachel Seeley Mazur is constantly proving that she belongs at the top and together with her brother, Jason, is casting the company in her image.
Although she's listed as CEO, Mazur and Seeley equally share the leadership post and consider themselves to be true partners in the business.
The rock-paper-scissors contest - conducted at the ownership transfer meeting last year -...
Conferences: Provider picks
September 30, 2005HME News Staff
BRAD SCHMIDT'S PICKS
Reducing Expenses for Delivery of Oxygen
Speaker: Donald Vibbert
Date and time: Tuesday, Oct. 18, 8:30-9:30 a.m.
I want to learn more about the subcontracted liquid or gaseous O2 delivery model. I have yet to see a service model in the marketplace that includes the subcontracting part of my patient care functions, such as delivery of LOX or cylinders, which is more beneficial for patients and more economical for my company.
I want to hear about new ideas and models that could...
Lawsuit looks to halt HME cuts in Missouri
September 30, 2005HME News Staff
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Several disabled Missourians have filed a lawsuit to stop the state from implementing a series of Medicaid cuts that would reduce durable medical equipment expenditures from about $57 million to $30 million in the next fiscal year.
While Missouri will continue to pay for oxygen, wheelchairs and diabetic supplies, the state has not budgeted funding for general durable medical equipment such as hospital beds, wheelchair batteries and feeding tubes.
The state has said it would...