Archive: May 2013
Q&A: Ed Murphy
May 31, 2013Liz Beaulieu, Editor
SOMERSET, Pa. - DeVilbiss Healthcare may be 125 years old this year, but it has no plans to slow down. In fact, the company is making a number of moves that show it may be more relevant than ever, says President and CEO Ed Murphy. Here's what he had to say about the company's roots in atomizers, its rocky road to its current ownership, and its role in helping providers reduce costs.HME News: How did DeVilbiss go from atomizers to a full line of respiratory products?Ed Murphy: Atomizers are a small...
Proposed rule goes too far
May 31, 2013Elizabeth Deprey
WASHINGTON - Providers with high error rates could lose their billing privileges if a proposed rule takes effect.The Department of Health and Human Services published a proposed rule in the Federal Register April 29 that contains a provision that would expand Medicare's authority to revoke billing privileges to cases where the provider “has a pattern or practice of billing for services that do not meet Medicare requirements.”That's going too far, say stakeholders.“This is not revocation...
Prosthetists criticize proposed template
May 31, 2013Theresa Flaherty, Managing Editor
BALTIMORE - A proposed clinical template for lower limb prostheses overlooks the way care is delivered, say industry stakeholders.
“They still don't seem to want to allow the prosthetists to have as much input as they probably should have in terms of documenting medical necessity,” said Ryan Ball, director of state policy for VGM & Associates.
CMS has posted a draft of the template on its website. The template features a series of prompts that would help physicians understand...
Who's behind the CRT Senate companion bill?
May 31, 2013Elizabeth Deprey
Of course you remember the complex rehab industry's efforts coming to fruition in March, when Reps. Crowley and Sensenbrenner introduced H.R. 942.
Stakeholders entered the next stage in the game (netting a senate companion bill) with a huge advantage—a bill in hand to show senators exactly what they were looking for, and proof that dozens of House members were already standing behind it.
They also had a huge disadvantage—there are only 100 senators, compared to 435 House members, and...
Wheelchair repair issues abound for Scooter Store equipment
May 31, 2013Elizabeth Deprey
WASHINGTON - AAHomecare has met with CMS to see if it can get some financial relief for providers who repair equipment for former customers of The Scooter Store.
“We're working with CMS to see if we can devise some sort of system that would allow beneficiaries to access repairs and providers to get paid for them,” said Peter Rankin, manager of government affairs for AAHomecare.
Currently, providers can't be paid for repairs on equipment still in the capped rental cycle....
Woman sentenced for $11M fraud scheme
May 31, 2013HME News Staff
LAS VEGAS - A Nevada woman who defrauded Medicare of $11.1 million in an HME billing scheme was sentenced to more than four years in prison, according to a press release. Her sentence also includes three years of supervised release, and criminal forfeiture of $11.1 million in assets. Alegria Phankonsy, 43, formerly of Orange County, Calif., pleaded guilty in November 2012 to one count of healthcare fraud and one count of tax evasion. Between March 2005 and Feb. 2011, Phankonsy operated several HME...
FDA approves Breathe Technologies' CPAP device
May 31, 2013HME News Staff
IRVINE, Calif. - Breathe Technologies, a manufacturer of respiratory products, had its CPAP system cleared by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), according to a press release. “Reaching this milestone ahead of schedule is a testament to the expertise of our world-class team,” stated Larry Mastrovich, CEO of Breathe Technologies. Features of the Breathe Sleep System include a humidification system, a patient touch-screen, and a smart pressure ramp function, the release noted.
AAHomecare members elect new directors
May 31, 2013HME News Staff
WASHINGTON - AAHomecare bid farewell to several directors, while welcoming others to the board during its annual membership meeting held during the association's Washington Legislative Conference May 22-23, according to a bulletin from the organization. During the meeting, in which AAHomecare and NAIMES officially merged, Robert Steedley, president of Barnes Healthcare Services in Valdosta, Ga., was appointed as chairman. In addition to Steedley, the executive officers at AAHomecare include: John...
Invacare faces lawsuit from shareholder
May 31, 2013HME News Staff
ELYRIA, Ohio - Invacare officials will “vigorously defend” themselves against new allegations that they misled shareholders about the company's noncompliance with Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations, according to a spokeswoman.
A shareholder last week filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, alleging Invacare officials violated federal securities laws between July 22, 2010, and Dec. 7, 2011, with statements that “masked the fact that the...
In brief: Lawmakers, stakeholders seek extended deadline for letter to CMS
May 31, 2013HME News Staff
WASHINGTON - With Congress on recess until June 3, industry stakeholders hope extending the deadline for a “Dear Colleague” letter will allow time to get more signatures. The letter to CMS, co-authored by Reps. Glenn Thompson, R-Pa., and Bruce Braley, D-Iowa, urges lawmakers and CMS to support an administrative delay for Round 2 of competitive bidding. "It should provide the opportunity to get well over 100 signatures," said Seth Johnson, vice president of government affairs for...