Archive: January 2011
ResMed loses CEO to CareFusion
January 31, 2011HME News Staff
SAN DIEGO - Kieran Gallahue has resigned as CEO and president of ResMed to become CEO of CareFusion, both companies announced today.
At ResMed, Gallahue has been replaced on an interim basis by Dr. Peter Farrell, the company's founder and executive chairman. The company doesn't expect “any material change in strategy or operations as a result of this management change.”
“Kieran's resignation came as a surprise, but we wish him well,” Farrell stated in a release. “During...
In brief: Bills seek repeal, Berwick re-nominated, ResMed sets record
January 27, 2011HME News Staff
WASHINGTON - Companion bills that would repeal a tax on medical devices, including most durable medical equipment, were introduced in the House and Senate Jan. 25. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act contained a provision that would impose a 2.3% excise tax on medical device sales to help pay for the healthcare reform plan. The tax, set to begin in 2013, is expected to raise $20 billion over 10 years. H.R. 436 and S. 17 were introduced by Rep. Erik Paulsen, R-Minn., and Sen. Orrin Hatch,...
Mergers and acquisitions for HME: Bigger is better?
January 27, 2011Liz Beaulieu, Editor
YARMOUTH, Maine - Looking back at 2010 and looking ahead to 2011, there's only one way to sum up the M&A market for HME: "It's pretty much going to be about the big guys," say industry watchers.
2010 was only an OK year, in terms of number of transactions, but those completed involved buyers looking to build scale, said industry M&A experts.
"In all cases, the ability to absolutely expand on infrastructure that has already been established is key to profitability going forward," said Jonathan Sadock,...
Beneficiaries are quiet on bidding issues
January 27, 2011Theresa Flaherty, Managing Editor
BALTIMORE - While reports of problems associated with Round 1 of competitive bidding are trickling in, one group has remained quiet: beneficiaries.
"We are not hearing anywhere near enough (from beneficiaries)," said Wayne Stanfield, executive director of NAIMES. "There are obviously problems, but not enough that would make Congress take notice."
Reported problems so far range from delayed hospital discharges to trouble finding the right equipment or provider, but most of these problems are being...
Female incontinence: It's no laughing matter
January 27, 2011Mike Moran
PHILADELPHIA - Take a gander at this data regarding female incontinence, courtesy of a new market survey by SCA, which makes Tena bladder protection products: Only 16% of women 45 and older are likely to discuss incontinence with their doctors. Many are just too embarrassed to bring it up. If a woman feels that incontinence is a normal part of aging, she's unlikely to seek help. What's more, women aren't the only ones shy about discussing this subject. It's also one of the top two topics least addressed...
AAHomecare tries to 'bridge gap' with providers
January 27, 2011Liz Beaulieu, Editor
ARLINGTON, Va. - The next knock on your door may be from an AAHomecare official.
The association announced in January that it plans to hire a director of membership sales and marketing who will hit the road to visit with existing and prospective members.
"We're often up to our ears dealing with Congress, CMS and the media, but we know it's also important to get out there and talk to folks about what their concerns are," said Michael Reinemer, AAHomecare's vice president of communications and policy....
Complex rehab: Not sexy but stable
January 26, 2011Liz Beaulieu, Editor
It turns out ATG Rehab isn't the only complex rehab provider to get some outside help recently. United Seating & Mobility received an injection of capital from Philadelphia-based LLR Partners in November.
So who are these private equity firms and what do they want with complex rehab?
ATG Rehab's private equity firm, Audax, is an investor in middle market companies with a reputation for spurring growth and creating value. It manages more than $4 billion in capital through its private equity and other...
DrugCo: One-stop shop for HME—and fishing poles
January 26, 2011Theresa Flaherty, Managing Editor
ROANOKE RAPIDS, N.C. - Provider Marty Jones' patients all have his cell phone number.
"I get a lot of calls," said Jones, director of home care services for Roanoke Rapids, N.C.-based DrugCo Discount Pharmacy. "But all home health companies have the same equipment. Where we try to differentiate at DrugCo is through service."
Despite continued cuts to Medicare and Medicaid—DrugCo's biggest payers—the provider, like everybody else, strives to do more with less, including a "very lean"...
Scammers, solicitation and slippery slopes
January 25, 2011Theresa Flaherty, Managing Editor
While CMS continues in its attempts to curb Medicare fraud and abuse (and rightly so), it would be nice if it were easier to separate the scams from legitimate attempts at business.
This story on news-press.com, details phone calls to various people asking if they have diabetes, and then attempting to get the callees' Medicare information.
The next order of business was to ask Mangano if she had " a red, white and blue Medicare card."
When Mangano said she did, the woman told her she would need to...
Seeley Medical: 'We need to reinvent ourselves'
January 24, 2011Liz Beaulieu, Editor
ANDOVER, Ohio - Seeley Medical is taking the whole idea of diversification to new heights in 2011.
The HME provider has invested in Azork Technologies, a company that has developed a “cloud computing” platform called Drund (www.drund.com). Azork launched the platform, which allows users to access tools and applications through a web browser rather than through their own computer or server, in January.
“What we've done for the first time is taken a step out of health care and into...