Archive: 2017
Game changer: LOONZ clears assessment hurdles
December 29, 2017Liz Beaulieu, Editor
BURNET, Texas - With a Bluetooth-enabled specialty drive control and now a video game that can be used as a training and assessment tool, Gabriel Romero feels like Stealth Products is finally in a place where it's keeping up with mainstream technology.
“My background is in computer science, so anything involving programming or electronics in our industry, I've taken to,” said Romero, vice president of sales and marketing for Stealth Products, a division of Quantum...
Home mods providers now have nat'l org
December 29, 2017Liz Beaulieu, Editor
DULUTH, Minn. - In another nod that it's a specialized but growing market, the Midwest Association for Medical Equipment Services has opened up its Home Modification Accessibility Committee to providers nationwide.
At press time, the committee had 14 members, including new members from Arizona, Mississippi and California, according to Rose Schafhauser, executive director of MAMES.
“It's a great opportunity to network in such a specific area,” she said, “which is extremely...
The year in review: Escalating turmoil, relief efforts dominate headlines
December 29, 2017HME News Staff
YARMOUTH, Maine - Moves by managed care organizations to send more Medicaid business to large distributors was the most read story of 2017 at HME News.Here's that story, and nine other most read stories for 2017:#1States move to single-source more and more DME'They're commoditizing this portion of health care, and it's scary to think about how far they'll take it'YARMOUTH, Maine - Distributors have been picking up Medicaid contracts for incontinence supplies in a number of states for years....
CMS stacks deck against Medicaid
December 29, 2017Liz Beaulieu, Editor
WASHINGTON - With little time to make an informed decision, an increasing number of states, including Georgia, Indiana and Washington, are planning to adopt Medicare reimbursement for certain DME to comply with a provision in the 21st Century Cures Act.CMS finally published a letter to state Medicaid directors on Dec. 27 with guidance on the provision—which requires CMS to cap its contribution to Medicaid reimbursement for certain DME at Medicare reimbursement—just three business...
Enter Amazon? Negative impact would be felt far and wide, say poll respondents
December 29, 2017Theresa Flaherty, Managing Editor
YARMOUTH, Maine - Unsurprisingly, a large majority of providers fear the “Amazon effect” on the DME market, according to the results of a recent HME Newspoll.While Amazon already offers basic DME, the retail giant has reportedly applied for wholesale distribution licenses in more than a dozen states for “durable medical equipment distribution, medical gas distribution, or both,” according to multiple news reports. “I don't like things such as oxygen being offered...
In brief: Coloplast buys another provider, Medline triples footprint
December 29, 2017HME News Staff
MINNEAPOLIS - Coloplast, which has its U.S. headquarters here but is based in Denmark, announced this month that it has acquired SAS Lilial for a cash consideration of EUR 35.5m or DKK 264m.Lilial is a privately owned French company that distributes catheter and ostomy supplies nationally. It provides patients with products from several different manufacturers, including Coloplast.“The acquisition of SAS Lilial is part of our strategy of pursuing inorganic opportunities to accelerate...
Q&A: Peter Kopp
December 29, 2017Liz Beaulieu, Editor
DENVER - The Kids Mobility Network hit $5 million in donated wheelchairs, walkers and other mobility equipment in November. Here's what Peter Kopp, who founded the nonprofit with his wife Christy, had to say about the difficulties of doing good.HME News: You first started accepting donated equipment in 2005, with the goal of refurbishing it and getting it back in the hands of children with disabilities. What's surprised you on this journey? Peter Kopp: The demand is so much greater than we...
Oxygen Management: Weigh costs of delivery model
December 29, 2017George Coppola
A. With the recent cuts in reimbursement, home care providers are looking to get every penny out of every transaction. Taking advantage of an oxygen non-delivery model eliminates service costs for the provider and puts them in position to thrive in the low reimbursement era. Most manufacturers have designed products and crafted programs designed to make this possible for providers. A good option to convert an existing fleet is to look into the pricing options on bundling portable and stationary...
HIPAA Security: Assess additional security needs
December 29, 2017Ebba Blitz
A. The GDPR, effective May 25, 2018, requires a number of new data protection obligations for everyone who does business in and with the European Union. EU data protection law will extend to all foreign companies processing the data of EU residents.One of the key requirements is that SMBs must have a technical solution in place and organizational measures that demonstrate compliance.Another important change is the replacement of the Safe Harbor by Privacy Shieldwhich...
Patient Data: Find way to be relevant
December 29, 2017Ryan Ball
A. Most HME providers already have an existing database of patients and capture key information during the intake process; so, what's the next step? What products and strategies are most effective? How can you measure success?As with all marketing, you must find a way to be relevant to the audience; data can help target different products based on demographics and disease state. In addition to understanding patient challenges based on the equipment you provide, timing is also a significant...