In brief: CMS modifies audit process, associations get connected

BALTIMORE - CMS will focus its audits for home oxygen therapy on more recent claims, AAHomecare reported last week. The agency has decided to make the change after meetings with the association and other stakeholder organizations. CMS's DME MACs will now focus on auditing claims with initial dates of service within the last few months, rather than the last few years. Additionally, when the DME MACs do audit older claims, they will give providers 45 days instead of 30 days to respond. CMS told AAHomecare that it's working to revise the Program Integrity Manual to reflect these changes.

Got concerns with bid program? Put them on camera

HALIFAX, Va. - NAIMES wants providers in Round 2 areas to create a three-minute video explaining how competitive bidding will affect their businesses. The association suggests that providers open their videos with "DME competitive bidding will harm my small business" and answer questions like: Will you be unable to bid due to licensure issues and will you close if you can't bid or don't win? NAIMES is asking providers to post their videos on YouTube or send them to the association, which will post them. NAIMES's goal: to have hundreds of videos posted. "We have fought the fight from the patient perspective, now it's time to fight it from the business and jobs perspective," the association stated. FMI: Email yourfuture@dmehelp.org.

State associations launch compliance connection

HARRISBURG, Pa. - Various state associations have joined forces, led by PAMS, to offer home medical equipment providers a webinar series on compliance. "HME Compliance Connection" will feature nine webinars starting Jan. 25 with Jeff Baird on implementing a successful compliance program and ending Oct. 24 with Lynn Shapiro on preparing for a Medicare or Medicaid audit. The fee: $125 per webinar for members of participating state associations, or $875 for the whole series. Register at www.pamsonline.org/events.

Short takes: Kevin Fly Hill

AMEPA has named the recipient of its 2011 Robert Arado Outstanding Advocate Award: Kevin Fly Hill, the founder of CPS Medical in Tyler, Texas, and the president of the Texas Alliance of Home Care Services. "CPS was a contracted supplier in the CPAP category in the Dallas CBA, but that did not stop Kevin from advocating against the flawed program," AMEPA stated.