In brief: e-prescribe push, PBM guardrails & data collection efforts

WASHINGTON – AAHomecare is bringing together a group of e-prescribing vendors to develop resources, including an upcoming webinar, to educate suppliers and other key audiences. 

In the group: Brightree, DMEscripts, Parachute Health and Tomorrow Health. 

“Our board members and industry partners have invested heavily in e-prescribing transformation as a means to lower operating costs and to improve delivery of care and patient safety for all providers,” said John Brady, CEO at DMEscripts, which was formed in 2021 by a group of stakeholders, including national providers like AdaptHealth and Lincare, to speed up the adoption of e-prescribing. “We are positioning e-prescribing as an added asset in health care’s value-based care delivery model with the promise and transparency toward quality of care.” 

The speakers for the webinar on Oct. 8, titled “Expert e-prescribing strategies for modern healthcare,” are Meredith Hendrie (Spectrum Medical), Chanel Martin (Nationwide Medical), Kara Boyd (Apria) and Amanda Smithey (McKesson). The webinar is free for AAHomecare members and $129 for non-members. Learn more and register here. 

In addition to the webinar, AAHomecare and the group have developed a Fact Sheet for DME Suppliers and a Fact Sheet for Clinicians.  The association has also established a new DMEPOS ePrescribing page on its website as a home for these resources. 

NCPA urges CMS to implement PBM guardrails 

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The National Community Pharmacists Association is pushing CMS to issue fair and common-sense contracting guardrails between Medicare Part D plans/pharmacy benefit managers and pharmacies. Medicare Part D makes up 36% of the average independent pharmacy’s business and current contracting practices that reimburse pharmacies less than their costs to acquire medications, dispense prescriptions, and earn a reasonable profit are having a disproportionately negative effect on the solvency of pharmacies, says NCPA. Current contracting practices are also leading to questionable or even inaccurate pharmacy network information in the Medicare Plan Finder tool that allows seniors and caregivers to shop and compare Medicare Advantage and Part D plans, it says. “If contracts are for more than one year, pharmacies find themselves in a relationship with plans/PBMs similar to the Eagles’ ‘Hotel California,’ which they can never leave,” stated NCPA CEO B. Douglas Hoey, pharmacist, in a letter to Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, CMS administrator, and Meena Seshamani, MD, PhD, CMS deputy administrator and director of the Center for Medicare. “We believe that plans/PBMs are attempting to lock our members into multiple year contracts to game CMS’s pharmacy access standards in Medicare Part D.” Among other things, NCPA is urging CMS to: 

• Require Part D plans/PBMs to notify pharmacies or their contracting entities about the network status for the upcoming plan year; 
• Require that the contracts themselves be opt-in, signed and finalized prior to Oct. 1 each year; 
• Require plans/PBMs to make their standard contracts available upon request from interested pharmacies no later than the first week of June of each year when Part D bids are due to give pharmacies and their contracting entities enough time to adequately analyze and negotiate a PBM contract; 
• Require that contracts be offered anew every year, with payments and networks that cannot be changed without further negotiation and consent of all parties to the contracts; and 
• Require that plans/PBMs cannot “bundle” or “tie” participation in one network to another non-Medicare Part D network. 

AAH seeks end user input on NIV, CGM  

WASHINGTON – AAHomecare has launched two portals to collect end user and family caregiver stories about the impact of policy changes for non-invasive ventilators (NIVs) and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs). The association will use these stories in advocacy efforts to educate payers and governmental agencies on access issues and proposed solutions. "As we advocate for access to medically necessary equipment in the home, it is important for payers and government officials to understand how restrictive policies impact patients directly," said David Chandler, AAHomecare vice president of payer relations. "By sharing these experiences, we can all gain greater insight into the challenges end users face accessing HME and work together to reduce barriers to care." Providers can direct customers to the following web sites to access the portals and upload their stories, either written or via video: 
•    CGM access issues: aahomecare.org/Access-Issues-Upload-Form-CGM 
•    NIV access issues: aahomecare.org/Access-Issues-Upload-Form-NIV 

These websites also provide a high-level overview of the issue and suggest talking points. 
 
REMSleep patent approved 

CLEARWATER, Fla. - REMSleep Holdings has announced that another utility patent for its Nasal Ventilation System has been allowed by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The company expects to receive the patent approximately eight weeks after it files the necessary paperwork. REMSleep is now waiting for the delivery of silicone raw materials, expected during the first week of October, to produce inventory for market launch. Immediately after the launch of the Deltawave, REMSleep intends to submit 510K application for its next generation “Longevity,” a process that is expected to take approximately five months to clearance. A third generation CPAP interface mask to follow Longevity is expected to be on the market at the end of 2025. In July, REMSleep announced it had been awarded 510(K) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for its new Deltawave CPAP Pillows Interface. 

ChartPath, WoundZoom partner on wound care 

AUSTIN, Texas, and BOCA RATON, Fla. – ChartPath, a provider of electronic health record (EHR) solutions for long-term and post-acute care practices, has announced a strategic partnership with WoundZoom, a provider of digital wound management solutions. The collaboration will combine ChartPath's user-friendly EHR platform with WoundZoom's advanced wound care technology. "Combining WoundZoom's advanced wound care solutions with ChartPath's EHR capabilities, we're creating a unique offering that enhances the quality of care and simplifies the workflow process for healthcare providers," said Mark Lacerte, president of WoundZoom. "The collaboration with ChartPath is a testament to our shared vision of using data-driven innovation and intelligent integration to empower providers to achieve practice excellence." Key benefits of the partnership include improved and more timely documentation; a single platform with seamless integration; insightful analytics for better decision-making; and risk mitigation, with improved compliance through up-to-date documentation. "Our market is constantly growing as our clients do more and more to serve their patients,” said Buzz White, CEO, ChartPath. “Wound care is a great example of these additional services that are growing exponentially in our space. We love this expanding care and attention for patients and are proud to enable our clients to effectively offer these services."  

PE firm acquires orthotics platform 

NEW YORK – The Bansk Group, a private equity firm, has acquired Foundation Wellness, a consumer health and wellness platform that includes specialty orthotics brands and footcare solutions designed to relieve pain and enhance comfort and performance. Headquartered in Wadsworth, Ohio, Foundation Wellness brands include PowerStep, Currex, Foot Petals, Flat Socks and Doctor Hoys. "As we see consumers increasingly focus on health, wellness and fitness, along with an aging U.S. population seeking to live a more active lifestyle, demand for effective, pain-relieving orthotic solutions is poised for long-term, secular growth," said Chris Kelly, senior partner at Bansk Group. "For nearly 90 years, Foundation Wellness has built a reputation for prioritizing the health and wellness of consumers. We look forward to leveraging our track record in the consumer health sector to capitalize on strong demand for Foundation Wellness' clinical orthotics offering and thoughtfully expand the company's platform in adjacent categories." Bansk Group's investment in Foundation Wellness marks the firm's third consumer health care platform investment and fifth transaction in less than three years. 

HME Home Health plans ninth location 

RICHMOND, B.C. – HME Home Health will expand further into the Eastern Fraser Valley with HME Abbotsford, which is currently under construction and scheduled to open in the summer of 2025. “A central core initiative at HME is our Green Commitment,” said Robert Boscacci, CEO & co-founder. “HME Abbotsford is a brand-new construction and will be a state-of-the-art facility upholding our environmental commitment with LED lighting, electric charging and low emission standards.” Since launching in 2012, HME Home Health has grown rapidly. In August, it acquired Coast Ability in Sechelt, B.C., and HME Abbotsford will be its ninth location. “Having a location in the Eastern Fraser Valley, equipped with a trial room, clinical assessment space, offices and a warehouse facility, HME will be able to bring our high-quality service and team to clients and clinicians residing in the Fraser Valley,” said Michelle Harvey, COO. “HME Abbotsford will service both adult and pediatric clients from Aldergrove, Abbotsford, Chilliwack, Hope Mission, Agassiz, and surrounding areas and will be a further link to our Interior location in Kelowna.” 

Adam Miller joins gov’t relations team 

WATERLOO, Iowa — VGM & Associates has named Adam Miller its new vice president of government relations. He was previously president of OPGA, a division of VGM & Associates. “From the very beginning of my time at VGM, I have had the privilege to travel across the country with and learn from VGM’s government relations team,” said Miller. “I have had a front row seat to the power of advocacy and the passion of VGM members in all the industries we serve. I am excited and humbled to transition to the role of vice president of government relations and directly join the fight alongside our members.” In his new role, Miller will spearhead strategic engagement with VGM communities, aligning policy and practice with national initiatives. His role will be pivotal in maximizing member presence and impact, advancing a developed policy agenda at both state and national levels.  “I am excited to welcome Adam Miller to the government and regulatory team,” said Ike Isaacson, senior vice president of government and regulatory relations. “He has been a strong advocate in the orthotics and prosthetics space and has represented the industry and VGM very well in Washington, D.C., Adam brings a strong passion for the home health care industry and a desire to promote and enhance our members’ ability to support those they serve.”  

Beta Bionics to integrate with Abbot’s Libre3 Plus 

IRVINE, Calif. – Beta Bionics, a developer of advanced diabetes management solutions, has announced it is working to integrate Abbott's glucose sensing technology with its iLet Bionic Pancreas automated insulin delivery system. The iLet will soon connect to Abbott’s FreeStyle Libre3 Plus continuous glucose sensor, where readings every minute will help iLet calculate insulin doses. “Beta Bionics developed the iLet Bionic Pancreas to offer the Type 1 community a way to manage their diabetes with less burden and more convenience,” said Sean Saint, CEO of Beta Bionics. “This partnership with Abbott will enable us to offer a choice of iCGMs so users will be able to customize their iLet diabetes management experience with the CGM they know and trust.” The iLet Bionic Pancreas will be the first AID integration of FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus available in the United States. The integration, which will launch in Q4 2024, will offer people a new way to manage their Type 1 diabetes that will fit seamlessly into their lives. “Abbott is dedicated to creating future-forward health technologies that simplify how people living with diabetes manage their condition and their overall health,” said Jared Watkin, executive vice president of Abbott’s diabetes care business. “By working with various industry partners, we’re giving users more choices in the technology they use to manage their diabetes effectively. Our collaboration with Beta Bionics will offer an automated closed-loop system that is accurate, easy to use, and can help users focus less on diabetes and more on life.”