Archive: September 2016
Industry gets assurance that bid relief is forthcoming
September 30, 2016Liz Beaulieu, Editor
WASHINGTON - HME stakeholders have House Speaker Paul Ryan's word that Congress will take up legislation that would retroactively delay a recent reimbursement cut in non-competitive bidding areas in a lame-duck session after the elections.“We've had some of our folks in leadership talk to Ryan directly and he has said that he's aware of the issue,” said Jay Witter, senior vice president of public policy for AAHomecare. “He said, 'We'll take care of it in the lame-duck session.'...
10-year snapshot—It's not as bad as you think
September 30, 2016Liz Beaulieu, Editor
I'm not going to lie. When I asked Rick Glass, who always presents the results of our Financial Benchmarking Survey at the HME News Business Summit, to put together a 10-year snapshot to recognize 10 years of the survey, I was a little worried about what'd I'd get back.
As any of you know, a lot has happened to the HME industry in 10 years—a lot of it not good.
And as any of you know, Rick is not one to sugarcoat reality. If it's bad, he's going to tell you it's bad.
So I was pleasantly surprised...
Numotion joins e-commerce ranks
September 30, 2016Tracy Orzel
ROCKY HILL, Conn. - Numotion has joined the e-commerce market with the launch of its new online store, www.shopnumotion.com.“We serve people all across the country, some in very rural markets, that might not be near seating clinics or Abilities Expos,” said John Pryles, senior vice president of sales. “So we wanted to give them access and let them see what was available.”Numotion has kicked off its e-commerce efforts with SoftWheel, an adaptive in-wheel suspension system for...
In brief: Stakeholders explore new models of respiratory care, House passes bill to create standards for auto adaptive equipment
September 30, 2016HME News Staff
WASHINGTON - Respiratory stakeholders have begun work to develop outcomes-based care models. Earlier this year, AAHomecare distributed a survey to respiratory stakeholders, exploring the possibility of developing a new payment methodology focusing on chronic respiratory management. After obtaining results, AAHomecare HME/Respiratory Therapy Council members and American Association for Respiratory Care executives met to begin to develop basic tenets for a chronic respiratory care model that is patient-focused,...
Stakeholders take aim
September 30, 2016Theresa Flaherty, Managing Editor
WASHINGTON - Industry stakeholders hope a recent meeting will open up a dialogue between Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield and CPAP providers who have concerns with some of the insurer's requirements.
Of primary concern: Anthem's benefits management company, AIM Specialty Health, requires providers to supply proof of patient compliance quarterly for the first year of treatment and annually thereafter. That frequency level can create access issues, and possible medical complications,...
O2 Concepts named top place to work
September 30, 2016HME News Staff
NEWTOWN, Conn. - O2 Concepts has been named one of the top 50 places to work in southern Connecticut. Employees ranked the company's workplace extremely high in all areas of satisfaction as part of a survey by Hearst Connecticut Newspapers. “We are small enough to be nimble and responsive to customer needs, and everyone else is trying to catch up,” said one employee. O2 Concepts makes the Oxlife Independence Portable Oxygen Concentrator. In response to the award, the company...
NHIA honors Reps. Engel, Tiberi
September 30, 2016HME News Staff
WASHINGTON - The National Home Infusion Association has named Rep. Eliot Engel, D-N.Y., as the recipient of its Congressional Leadership Award. Engel is the lead sponsor of the Medicare Home Infusion Site of Care Act, H.R. 605, a bill that would require Medicare to pay for home infusion services and related supplies under Part B. “I have long been committed to closing the Medicare gap for home-based infusion care,” Engel said. “There is no reason to force patients battling cancer...
Contracting: Offer best value proposition
September 29, 2016Steve Selbst
A. It is often challenging for HME companies to get contracted with payers. Payers often close their networks to new provider applications once they reach a certain number of HME companies. There are two similar scenarios: a closed network and a narrow network. When a network is closed, the payer has established a business practice that it is not accepting more providers into an existing network. In a narrow network, the payer has determined that it is generally not accepting more providers...
Stakeholders develop chronic respiratory care model
September 29, 2016HME News Staff
WASHINGTON - Respiratory stakeholders have begun work to develop outcome-based care models. Earlier this year, AAHomecare distributed a survey to respiratory stakeholders, exploring the possibility of developing a new payment methodology focusing on chronic respiratory management. After obtaining results, AAHomecare HME/Respiratory Therapy Council members and American Association for Respiratory Care executives met to begin to develop basic tenets for a chronic respiratory care model that is patient-focused,...
FDA approves artificial pancreas system
September 29, 2016HME News Staff
NEW YORK - The Food and Drug Administration has approved a commercial version of the Medtronic MiniMed 670G hybrid closed-loop system, an artificial pancreas system. "This announcement is a historic achievement for JDRF,” said Derek Rapp, CEO of the nonprofit dedicated to funding type 1 diabetes research. “After years of laying the ground work, this breakthrough is a testament to the reason JDRF exists—to help people with Type 1 diabetes lead better, safer, healthier lives while...