Archive: November 2013
Short Takes: 101 Mobility, Home Care Medical
November 27, 2013HME News Staff
101 Mobility Tampa partnered with Harmar to donate and install a wheelchair lift as part of an effort to build an accessible home for injured Army Staff Sergeant (SSG) Alex Dillmann. Dillmann will receive the house Dec. 5…New Berlin, Wisc.-based Home Care Medical this week launched a redesigned website with additional educational materials, a promotions page and a new careers page.
Contest catches patients in the act…of traveling
November 27, 2013Theresa Flaherty, Managing Editor
ROSEVILLE, Minn. - Among the millions of travelers to hit the road last week for the Thanksgiving holiday were young patients of Pediatric Home Service (PHS).“These days, vents are so much smaller, and CPAP and suction machines are more compact and portable,” said Dana Akerson, marketing supervisor. “They are traveling for the holidays and are able to be with family.”In November, PHS held one of several Facebook photo contests to draw attention to its young patients traveling...
In brief: Numotion, Smith & Nephew make buys
November 27, 2013HME News Staff
VALDOSTA, Ga. - Numotion has purchased the custom mobility division of Barnes Healthcare Services, according to a Nov. 26 release. Barnes, which offers post-acute complex care in Georgia, Florida and Alabama, will now focus on pharmacy, respiratory, nutrition and medical supplies. “The addition of Barnes' seven locations in Georgia and Florida greatly expands our coverage and improves access to complex rehab technology to residents throughout the region,” said Bill Boyce, regional vice...
Private-pay contracts: A good, but not sure-fire, bet
November 27, 2013Theresa Flaherty, Managing Editor
YARMOUTH, Maine - HME providers struggling with decreased Medicare reimbursement are hunting for private-pay contracts, but they're not always quick to pull the trigger.There are providers like John Teevan, whose company, New Berlin, Wis.-based Home Care Medical inked a deal in October with Network Health to become an in-network provider of HME, respiratory, rehab and home infusion equipment. Network Health offers a range of health insurance plans to more than 135,000 plan members in northeast Wisconsin.“We're...
3B Medical data management system gets upgrade
November 27, 2013HME News Staff
LAKE WALES, Fla. - 3B Medical's iCodeConnect, a web-based data management system, now features SD card functionality, the company announced Nov. 22. The iCodeConnect system allows DME providers and physicians to store patient data, generate sleep reports, exchange notes, and manage patients efficiently. The upgrade will allow the iCodeConnect patient management portal to integrate with the portable memory cards.
AABCP to launch post mastectomy awareness campaign
November 27, 2013HME News Staff
HOUSTON - The American Association of Breast Care Professionals (AABCP) has announced plans for several events throughout 2014 to raise political and public awareness for the need for post mastectomy services. The campaign will include basic education and explanations of what post mastectomy services are and how these medically necessary items differ from normal lingerie or aesthetic beauty products. More information about the effort is available at www.aabcp.org.
Need for scale drives consolidation among software companies
November 27, 2013Liz Beaulieu, Editor
ATLANTA - Fresh off his acquisition of MedAct Software, Brightree President and CEO Dave Cormack says the pace of consolidation among software companies is only going to increase.Brightree's acquisition of MedAct in November is the company's second this year and its fifth since 2008. The other acquisition this year: CareAnywhere, a software company serving home health and hospice providers.“It's all about interoperability,” Cormack said. “We're talking to some of the managed care...
CVS buys Coram
November 27, 2013HME News Staff
LAKE FOREST, Calif. - CVS Caremark has agreed to acquire Apria's home infusion business, Coram, for $2.1 billion, the companies announced today.
“CVS Caremark and Coram share a mutual commitment to provide patients with quality care,” said John Figueroa, Coram CEO.
Apria acquired Denver-based Coram for $350 million in 2007. Today, Coram has more than 4,500 employees and serves more than 20,000 patients each month through 85 locations. Third quarter revenues for the division,...
Final rule proves 'CMS does not understand complex rehab,' stakeholders say
November 27, 2013Elizabeth Deprey
WASHINGTON - Industry stakeholders are shaking their heads in disbelief at a final rule that makes certain complex rehab equipment capped-rental items effective April 1.
In the Nov. 22 final rule, CMS designates 78 codes as capped-rental—including codes for tilt-in-space manual wheelchair, pediatric manual wheelchair, and manual wheelchair power-assist. Medicare estimates that this equipment will only be needed, on average, for eight months—saving Medicare $130 million over five...
Smith & Nephew makes wound care buy
November 26, 2013HME News Staff
LONDON - Smith & Nephew has agreed to acquire the wound management-related assets and business of Brazil's Politec Saude, furthering its plans to build an emerging markets business, according to a Nov. 26 release. Politec Saude is Brazil's lone distributor of Smith & Nephew advanced wound management products. “Brazil is an exciting long-term opportunity and this is an important investment which creates a significant platform from which we can grow,” said Olivier Bohuon, Smith & Nephew...