Dog days of summer? More like work like a dog

It's definitely the dog days of summer outside of HME News world headquarters in Yarmouth, Maine.

As I sit here writing this blog, waiting for our production department to finalize the HME Newswire that will go out at 6 a.m. EST on Monday, it's a beautiful 74 degrees outside.

It's sunny with scattered clouds.

It's dry.

In other words, it's a great day to be playing hooky from work and playing outside.

But apparently there's no rest for the weary when you're covering the fast-paced HME industry.

Yes, I just wrote fast-paced HME industry.

You see, we had 10 stories in contention for this week's Newswire, a Newswire with space for five stories. Ten! That's how much stuff has been going on this week.

The top story in the Newswire just broke about an hour or so ago: As promised, Rep. Renee Ellmers, R-N.C., has introduced a bill to reform the audit program.

We also have stories about Wright & Filippis selling to Lincare, a pilot program to settle appeals that are stuck at the ALJ level, and Invacare's new pricing policy for products sold over the Internet.

A good story that didn't make the cut for Monday's Newswire, but will definitely be in the following Newswire: Mobility stakeholders respond to CMS's plan to bundle monthly payments for standard manual and power wheelchairs. Tucked into that plan, CMS is also soliciting comments on whether manual and power wheelchairs should each be described under one HCPCS code. As Invacare's Cara Bachenheimer says, “That's just insane.”

I should stop there. I've already given away too much. Who knows who reads this blog?

But let me part by saying, dog days of summer�more like work like a dog!