In brief: Enos Home Medical makes acquisition, pharmacies meet with FTC commish 

NEW BEDFORD, Mass. - Enos Home Medical has expanded its footprint in northern Massachusetts and reinforced its focus on the hospice market with a recent acquisition of “significant DME assets” in the area, says Jon Enos. 

The acquisition better positions Enos Home Medical to “meet current dynamic market conditions and today’s ever-changing medical landscape,” the company says. 

“We are excited to be able to reach even more hospice patients in the northern part of the state,” said Enos, CEO. “We will continue to expand our top-level DME service and be a resource to the community.” 

Enos Home Medical will continue to invest in product, staff and distribution centers across its service area. 

The company, which has been in business for more than 70 years, has 10 distribution centers, serving five states with hundreds of products, including a full range of DME, aids to daily living and wound care, ostomy, urological, incontinence and diabetes supplies. 

Belluscura provides financial results, product updates 

LONDON and PLANO, Texas – Belluscura reported group revenue of $1.54 million for the year ended Dec. 31, 2022, compared to $420,000 the previous year. It reported adjusted losses from operations of $6.2 million vs. $4.2 million, and net cash of $2.04 million. Among its highlights for the year: built significant U.S. distribution and commenced international roll-out; established manufacturing facilities in both the U.S. and China; launched the next generation X-PLOR, with initial new standing orders exceeding 1,000 units; and released the DISCOV-R for pre-market evaluation in June. "The group has made considerable progress in 2022,” said Robert Rauker, CEO. "Following the recent fundraising, and as we are now utilizing the company's previously high inventory levels, the company is well positioned to deliver substantial growth in the coming years.  We look forward to the future with confidence." 

Product progress 

Belluscura has commenced the premarket launch of its DISCOVR-R portable oxygen concentrator and released a patient usability study. Patients who participated in the study provided positive feedback on the new device, the company says. "We are very pleased that the premarket launch of the DISCOV-R occurred in H1 as previously anticipated by the company,” Rauker said. “We are further excited by the very positive feedback from the initial users in the study. The full commercial launch of the DISCOV-R is anticipated to occur in Q3 of this 2023, followed by a ramp up of production thereafter to meet the anticipated demand of the product." At the same time, Belluscura continues to move forward with its CE and UKCA registration mark application for the X-PLOR POC in the EU and UK, respectively, by conducting a similar patient useability study. Additionally, the company has progressed its registration of the X-PLOR in China following the recent registration of its subsidiary, Shenzhen Belluscura Technology Company Limited. 

NCPA organizes roundtable to discus PBM practices 

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The National Community Pharmacists Association and the Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association helped to organize a roundtable discussion on June 29 with Federal Trade Commissioner Alvaro Bedoya to discuss the contracting practices of pharmacy benefit managers. The discussion, which took place at Eric’s RX Shoppe in Horsham, Pa., included several independent pharmacy owners and staff from the Philadelphia Association of Retail Druggists, as well as attorneys from the state attorney general’s office. “Since being sworn in, Commissioner Bedoya has demonstrated his keen interest in understanding the complex issues at play in the pharmacy space and within vertically integrated PBMs,” said NCPA General Counsel Matthew Seiler. “NCPA continues urging the FTC and other regulators to keep digging into PBM-insurer business practices and take action as they’re able to in order to advance transparency, fairness, and competition.” The independent pharmacy owners detailed various PBM-related barriers they face in operating their business and serving their patients, and described access issues that patients are forced to deal with when their local pharmacies close. Among other things, they discussed take-it-or-leave-it contracts; complicated and opaque methods of determining pharmacy reimbursement; methods of steering patients towards pharmacies owned or affiliated with the PBM-insurer; issues with dispensing generics or biosimilars that are not found on a patient’s formulary; and challenges relating to the “DIR hangover.” 

Aeroflow Healthcare backs Florida’s decision on tax exemption 

ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Aeroflow Healthcare supports Florida’s decision to permanently exempt breast pumps, diapers and senior incontinence supplies from the state sales tax. Previously, the state exempted only diapers for children and only for one year until June 30, 2023. "Aeroflow is a staunch advocate for providing access to critical medical supplies that new moms, children, seniors and other patients across all income levels depend on and is thrilled to participate in this legislative win in Florida," said Ryan Bullock, COO of Aeroflow Healthcare. "We just celebrated the passage of North Dakota’s diaper tax exemption and believe there is clear momentum among state governments and the general public to advance legislation where it still doesn’t exist. The entire Aeroflow team, led by its government affairs group, remains focused on ensuring that all patients have access to the necessary supplies and equipment they need to manage their health conditions.” Aeroflow announced earlier in June that it had created a government relations program and hired Mindi Walker to lead it.  

Massachusetts Medicaid pays for wheelchair repairs 

BOSTON – The Medicaid program in Massachusetts has added new procedure codes and corresponding rates for shipping fees and wheelchair repair evaluation, according to NCART. The new codes and rates went into effect July 1. They are: 

• Code A9901, $3, DME delivery, set up and/or dispensing service component of another HCPCS code. 
• Modifier U7: Used in conjunction with K0739 for direct service components when an in-person evaluation is performed for the repair of a mobility system RE-1 and RE-2. 
• Code K0739 U7, $46.33, Direct service component (RE units) for evaluation of repair of a mobility system RE-1 and RE-2 when evaluation is performed in person. One RE unit equals one hour.