Archive: March 2013
Competitive bidding: What manufacturers will and won't do
March 29, 2013Liz Beaulieu, Editor
YARMOUTH, Maine - When it comes to surviving competitive bidding, HME providers have a big cheerleader in manufacturers.That's because if providers sell fewer products or go out of business as a result of the program, it hurts manufacturers, too. Several manufacturers contacted by HME News say they made it through Round 1 relatively unscathed, but Round 2, which is scheduled to go into effect in 91 cities on July 1, may be another story.“It's going to have a significant impact,” said...
In brief: ResMed lawsuit, surety bond update
March 29, 2013HME News Staff
SAN DIEGO - ResMed has sued Taiwanese manufacturer Apex Medical and its U.S. distributor, Medical Depot, doing business as Drive Medical, to stop alleged patent infringement. ResMed has filed parallel legal actions in the International Trade Commission (ITC) and U.S. federal court, alleging its patents are being infringed by several Apex products, including the Wizard 210 and 220 masks; the Freedom 210 and 220 masks made by Apex and sold by Medical Depot; and the iCH and XT Fit flow generators. “We...
Scooter Store lawsuit: What are the odds?
March 29, 2013Elizabeth Deprey
NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas - If you're a laid off employee suing The Scooter Store, you may want the company to turn things around, industry attorneys say.Ex-employee Anna Urbina filed a lawsuit March 15, claiming that The Scooter Store didn't give those who were laid off the 60-day notice required by the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN). But even if the lawsuit succeeds, whether or not she gets the 60 days of back pay and benefits she's seeking will depend on the company's financial...
Expect new faces, same goal at AAHomecare
March 29, 2013Liz Beaulieu, Editor
ALEXANDRIA, Va. - There's a changing of the guards in the works at AAHomecare, but it won't slow down the association's efforts, leaders say.
AAHomecare and President/CEO Tyler Wilson have mutually agreed that he will leave the association in September, when his contract expires. Other recent departures: Walt Gorski, vice president of government affairs; Michael Reinemer, vice president of communications and policy; and Stacey Harms, manager of government affairs. The departures come...
Medtrade on Mars? Only on April Fool's
March 29, 2013Elizabeth Deprey
Back when I was in college and worked on our student-run paper, the best issue of the year was during April Fool's week.
All of the writers got the week off, and the editors went crazy thinking up far-fetched and hilarious stories. For that one issue, the Maine Campus became “The Maine Crapus.”
Picture stories about the university president getting fired for drinking Pepsi or the dean of students throwing a kegger, etc.
The basic premise: A lot of “opposite day”...
Alana drives down readmissions
March 29, 2013Theresa Flaherty, Managing Editor
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - A year into a high-touch disease management program, Alana Healthcare has reduced readmission rates for stage IV COPD patients with respiratory failure between 40% and 73%.
Alana's Comprehensive Respiratory Outcome Management (CROM) seeks to reduce hospital readmissions among COPD patients by educating them about their disease and helping them learn to manage it. Upon discharge, a respiratory therapist (RT) performs an in-home assessment and, in conjunction with the physician,...
ResMed files patent lawsuit
March 29, 2013HME News Staff
SAN DIEGO - ResMed has sued Taiwanese manufacturer Apex Medical and its U.S. distributor, Medical Depot, doing business as Drive Medical, to stop alleged patent infringement.
ResMed has filed parallel legal actions in the International Trade Commission (ITC) and U.S. federal court, alleging its patents are being infringed by several Apex products, including the Wizard 210 and 220 masks; the Freedom 210 and 220 masks made by Apex and sold by Medical Depot; and the iCH and XT Fit flow generators.
“We...
City to sue The Scooter Store
March 29, 2013HME News Staff
NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas - The New Braunfels Industrial Development Corp. will be filing a lawsuit to recover “any and all sums owed” from The Scooter Store after the company failed to maintain a certain number of jobs, according to a local radio station. The board says The Scooter Store owes the city $1.3 million as part of a “claw-back” stipulation from a 2009 incentive agreement. The Scooter Store had until March 21 to pay back the city. In 2009, several Texas cities were trying...
Mixon releases 'An American Journey'
March 29, 2013HME News Staff
CLEVELAND - Invacare Chairman Mal Mixon has published a book that details his rise from humble beginnings to successful entrepreneur. In “An American Journey,” available on Amazon, Mixon shares not only how he grew Invacare's sales from $19 million to almost $2 billion but also how he became a dedicated philanthropist and overcame cancer and a stroke. The book includes Mixon's “18 Life Lessons,” a playbook on how to win in business and life.
Simplex refutes 'No Call' allegations
March 29, 2013Theresa Flaherty, Managing Editor
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - A national provider of mail order diabetes supplies denies allegations that it has violated telemarketing laws in Missouri.The Missouri Attorney General's Office on March 15 filed a lawsuit against Simplex Healthcare, claiming that the provider violated the state's “No Call” list over a period of more than two years by calling residents who had signed up for the list, which is managed by the attorney general's office.“Simplex takes compliance with all laws very...