In brief: CMS delays PECOS edits, NCB slows growth in homecare market

BALTIMORE - CMS will not start denying HME claims that contain the names of physicians who haven't enrolled in PECOS on Jan. 3, AAHomecare reported last week. In a bulletin to members Wednesday afternoon, the association stated: "CMS informed us today that the January 3 effective date for PECOS edits has been indefinitely postponed. There is no target date for when an edit that would result in a front-end rejection would be implemented. However, we have been assured that such an edit would not go into effect until everything was 'in place.' We were also told that CMS would provide adequate notice in advance of implementing such edits. This notice would be provided not only to homecare providers but clinicians and beneficiaries." AAHomecare expected CMS to post this information to its website on Wednesday.

NCB slows growth in homecare market

ROCKVILLE, Md. - Competitive bidding will significantly limit growth in many segments of the homecare products market in the coming years, according to a new report from Kalorama Information. In "The Market for Home Care Products, 6th Edition," Kalorama pegs growth in the market at 2.2% annually between 2009 and 2014, down from 4.1% between 2006 and 2009. Read the report at http://www.kaloramainformation.com/redirect.asp?progid=80007&productid=2765057.

MED schedules seminars to help bid winners, losers

LUBBOCK, Texas - The MED Group will roll out its Medicare Suppliers Network program next month to help competitive bidding winners and losers develop strategies to grow market share and remain profitable. The free seminars will include information on, among other things, sales training, subcontracting, marketing and using Internet-based tools to help capture referrals. Locations and dates have been scheduled in each of the following competitive bidding areas (CBAs): Cincinnati, Dec. 1; Charlotte, N.C., Dec. 1; Cleveland, Dec. 6; Kansas City, Mo., Dec. 6; Riverside, Calif., Dec. 7; Orlando, Fla., Dec. 8; Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Dec. 9. For more information or to register for the seminars, contact Jana Gilmore at jgilmore@medgroup.com.

General rejoins Invacare board

ELYRIA, Ohio - Invacare announced last week that General James Jones, who recently retired from his post as National Security Advisor to President Barack Obama, will rejoin the company's board of directors effective Dec. 1, 2010. Jones, retired from the U.S. Marine Corps, was a member of Invacare's board from March 2007 to January 2009, when he stepped down to become National Security Advisor. "As Invacare continues to increase its focus on global sourcing and sales, it will benefit greatly from General Jones' extensive international experience and from the leadership qualities he exhibited as the United States National Security Advisor," stated Mal Mixon, chairman of Invacare, in a release.

Drivers beware: Many admit to drowsy driving

WASHINGTON - Two out of five drivers say they've fallen asleep at the wheel, says a new study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. More than a quarter of drivers surveyed said they've driven in the past month even though they've been so tired they had trouble keeping their eyes open. Eighty-five percent said it is "completely unacceptable for someone to drive in that condition." Sleepiness decreases awareness, slows reaction time and impairs judgment, just like drugs or alcohol, stated Peter Kissinger, AAA Foundation president and CEO, in a release. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that about one in six deadly crashes involve a drowsy driver.