Archive: February 2007
Telerehab takes major step
February 28, 2007HME News Staff
PITTSBURGH - How to best serve patients who live in rural areas has been an age-old problem for rehab providers. Cuts to Medicare reimbursement last year and the requirement that ATP-certified therapists perform evaluations for certain power wheelchairs beginning in 2008 have exacerbated the situation.
Providers may have hope, however, in the form of a telerehab study that's picking up speed at the University of Pittsburgh's Center for Assistive Technology. The center began testing videoconferencing...
MED, VGM continue to define their roles
February 28, 2007HME News Staff
As the needs of HME providers have changed over the years, so have the offerings of the industry's largest member-service organizations, The MED Group and The VGM Group.
In fact, Jim Walsh, president of VGM Management, agrees with anyone who "wants to say that the buying portion of group service has become less relevant" as the years have passed.
"We haven't relied on group purchasing as a significant part of our business for a number of years," he said. "It's not unimportant, but other things have...
Reimbursement
February 28, 2007HME News Staff
Q. I have a hard time finding experienced billing specialists. What should I look for in the interview process?
A. Finding the right staff to perform billing and collection is not an easy task. Most providers look for someone with previous HME experience, and when we find this person we feel like we hit the jackpot! To improve your odds of landing the best employee, here are a few things to keep in mind:
* Candidates should have stayed at least two to three years at previous jobs. The job hopper...
Pride offers new leasing program
February 28, 2007HME News Staff
EXETER, Pa. - Pride Mobility Products signed an agreement with Creekridge Capital in January. Per the agreement, Creekridge will run a leasing program under the name Pride Mobility Financial Services. The pre-approval program is designed to help Pride's provider customers better manage cash flow and take advantage of bulk pricing, said Jason Koby, a Creekridge Capital sales representative. "This is a big plus for our dealers because it allows them easy access to simplified financing for their inventories,...
Region D works to fix billing snafu
February 28, 2007HME News Staff
FARGO, N.D. - Unpaid claims continue to pile up at a disturbing rate, but Noridian, the Region D MAC, has begun making good faith efforts to solve the problem, providers say.
As of Jan. 15, there were 947 claims older than 90 days and 22,939 claims older than 61 days.
"The actual volume of claims suspending for manual review has been greater than our projections," Noridian stated in a release. "We realize our high volume of suspended claims is impacting cash flow for some suppliers."
At one point,...
Bruno redesigns Curb-Sider lift
February 28, 2007HME News Staff
OCONOMOWOC, Wis. - Bruno Independent Living Aids has unveiled the redesigned Curb-Sider Interior Vehicle Lift with new Direct Gear Drive Technology. With the elimination of chains in its drive package, the Curb-Sider provides strong performance and virtually maintenance-free operation, the company stated. There are more than 50,000 Curb-Siders in operation around the world, making this interior vehicle lift a mainstay of Bruno's mobility solutions for more than 10 years. Now, with several significant...
Confusion reigns at CMS forum
February 28, 2007HME News Staff
Providers who believe they must become accredited to submit bids in the first round of national competitive bidding left CMS's Jan. 30 Open Door Forum flabbergasted.
CMS's goal is to have all of its Medicare Part B providers accredited--especially those in the top 20 MSAs--as soon as possible. At the forum, however, it became clear that there is no deadline on the books.
Furthermore, "there is a provision in the statute that does say the quality standards should not delay the start of NCB," stated...
Pillow fight!
February 28, 2007HME News Staff
MURRYSVILLE, Pa., and IRVINE, Calif.- Respironics and Fisher & Paykel came out swinging in January when they both debuted nasal pillow masks designed to meet market demand and go head-to-head with ResMed's Mirage Swift II.
During a Jan. 23 teleconference and in marketing materials, Respironics went so far as to call the new OptiLife its easiest-to-use mask, a great fit for side sleepers and a money-maker for providers.
"Just saying that one mask is what you need is not the way we approach business,...
N.Y. indie gains 1,000 O2 patients
February 28, 2007HME News Staff
MOUNT VERNON, N.Y. - The largest provider of DME and respiratory services in the New York metropolitan area just got a lot bigger.
Landauer-Metropolitan, which generates an estimated $50 million in revenues annually, acquired Miller Medical & Respiratory in Philadelphia, Pa., in early January. The acquisition includes 1,000 respiratory patients.
Miller is one of the bigger, if not the biggest, respiratory players in the Philadelphia market and provides a nice platform for Landauer's expansion into...
Bush's oxygen plan excludes 'new technology'
February 28, 2007HME News Staff
WASHINGTON - While President Bush has proposed reducing the cap on oxygen reimbursement from 36 to 13 months, high-level administration officials say that cut would not apply to transfilling and portable concentrators--so called "new technology." Additionally, administration officials indicated they would not oppose efforts to repeal the transfer of ownership of oxygen equipment to Medicare beneficiaries following the cap.
Invacare officials reported those developments last month, following discussions...