Archive: April 2019
Belluscura reaches fundraising goal for POC
April 30, 2019HME News Staff
PLANO, Texas - Belluscura has reached its fundraising goal for its portable oxygen concentrator, the X-PLO2R. The company, part of the portfolio of Tekcapital Plc, a U.K. intellectual property investment group, has raised 500,000 pounds. “We are delighted to see that Belluscura has reached its crowdfunding target of 500,000 pounds to help complete the regulatory clearance and launch of their new X-PLOR portable oxygen concentrator later this year,” said Dr. Clifford Gross, chairman of...
Senators introduce accessories bill
April 30, 2019HME News Staff
WASHINGTON - Sens. Bob Casey, D-Pa., and Rob Portman, R-Ohio, on April 29 introduced a bill to provide relief for complex rehab wheelchairs and accessories, according to NCART.S. 1223 would exempt complex rehab manual and power wheelchairs and any wheelchair accessory, cushion or back when furnished in connection with a wheelchair from Medicare competitive bidding pricing. Casey and Portman introduced a similar bill in the last congressional session.Earlier in April, Reps. John Larson, D-Conn., and...
iBOT readies for relaunch
April 30, 2019HME News Staff
MANCHESTER, N.H. - Mobius Mobility is in the process of re-launching the iBOT Personal Mobility Device, an electric wheelchair that can climb stairs, according to the Union Leader. The company is moving into a building here owned by Dean Kamen, who worked with Johnson & Johnson to develop the iBOT 20 years ago, to assemble the devices and train customers on how to use them. In addition to climbing stairs, the iBOT allows users to sit up to make eye contract with others, making it a good fit for people...
Medicaid roundup: Changes in North Dakota, South Dakota
April 30, 2019HME News Staff
The North Dakota House of Representatives and Senate have passed H.B. 1115, a bill that prevents the Medicaid program from requiring “prior authorization, additional documentation not required by Medicare or additional prescription requirements of DME and supplies to process a claim for Medicaid-eligible individuals who are also eligible for Medicare if any item has been paid by Medicare, unless the item is not covered by Medicaid,” according to MAMES. The legislature passed the bill...
CPS Medical to turn 40
April 29, 2019Tracy Orzel
TYLER, Texas — CPS Medical has weathered a number of storms over the last four decades, but reimbursement cuts to oxygen therapy has been the provider's greatest challenge to date.CPS Medical, which officially turns 40 on January 1, 2020, offers a full line of DME, minus diabetic supplies. When the family-owned provider opened its doors in 1980, it was being paid $225 a month for oxygen therapy.“If you look at that in 2019 dollars, that's about $600 a month,” said Kevin Hill,...
Turnaround king: Krecle takes helm at GAMES
April 29, 2019Liz Beaulieu, Editor
ATLANTA - One of Devin Krecle's top priorities as the new executive director of the Georgia Association of Medical Equipment Suppliers is to help “revive” the association. Here's what Krecle, a vice president at Association Strategy Group, had to say about why state associations are important and how to “build them back up.”HME News: You've represented other associations, including the Georgia Society for Respiratory Care. What successes have you had?Devin Krecle: Every...
Making the case for e-prescribing
April 29, 2019Guest Commentary
Recently, Medicare determined to accept e-prescribed orders for inexpensive or otherwise routinely purchased DME. Historically, Medicare has required fax, pen and ink, or electronically maintained images of signed orders.However, e-prescribing offers a confidential, secure, accurate and error-free method of communicating doctors' orders. Moreover, e-prescribing has been widely adopted by physicians. By April 2014, fully 70% of physicians were e-prescribing, using an electronic health records network...
Outsourcing: Track the right metrics
April 29, 2019Joey Graham
A. When did you last check your HME company's metrics?This task might be last on your list (and with good reason): the day-to-day challenges of patient care and billing processes probably occupy your mind. You might focus on whatever it takes to keep the lights on.Tracking too many or too few metrics (or none at all) is more common among HME providers than you might think. Making the space to track the right HME metrics is easier than you might think, too.Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) Enter key...
You say tomato, I say tomahto?
April 29, 2019Liz Beaulieu, Editor
Is there a provider that doesn't like a good lead? As long as it's legal? (Which, BTW, is good question as we've learned from “Operation Brace Yourself.”)
I remember talking to a provider once about Inogen and the provider said the amount of advertising they do almost makes up for the fact that they're also a competitor. Inogen has arguably done the most to raise the awareness of POCs to the point where Mr. Smith goes into an HME company asking for an Inogen. It has...
Warranties: Why are we taking it on the chin?
April 29, 2019Letter to the Editor
As I am dealing with the 10th warranty issue for power chairs this month, I feel the need to express something that has bothered me for years. I should also add that we are a one location, small company with big dreams, so 10 warranty issues in one month is a lot.I am an ATP that has been serving my client base for years, and I am talking back when the power chairs were belt drive and tilt-in-space was a futuristic dream.My issue is this: As an industry why are we still taking it on the chin for...