In brief: Griggs takes reins, accessories need protection, Humana makes buy

PLYMOUTH MEETING, Pa. – Luke McGee has resigned from his positions as co-CEO and director of the board of AdaptHealth, and Stephen Griggs has been named CEO effective immediately. 

Griggs, who is also a member of the board, joined AdaptHealth in February as co-CEO following the company’s acquisition of AeroCare Holdings, which he founded and led as president and CEO. 

“Steve’s extensive management experience, along with health sector expertise and a proven record building high-growth companies, has already been instrumental in bolstering AdaptHealth’s growth trajectory,” said Richard Barasch, chair of the board. “The board has complete confidence in his ability to lead the company to even greater success as CEO.” 

McGee was placed on unpaid leave in April after authorities in Denmark formally charged him with alleged tax fraud. 

A special committee of independent directors, established by the board, had retained DLA Piper, an independent law firm, to conduct an investigation into any connection between McGee’s private activities and AdaptHealth. The firm reported to the committee on June 11 that its investigation is substantially complete and that it could state with a high degree of confidence that the company had no involvement in, or connection to, McGee’s alleged conduct. 

Griggs said he looks forward to leading AdaptHealth with “some of the best management talent in the business,” including President Josh Parnes, CFO Jason Clemens and others. 

“AdaptHealth has never been stronger and with the integration of AeroCare firmly on course, we can focus our full attention on delivering strong organic growth in our core business, enhancing our role in chronic disease management and deploying capital on strategic M&A opportunities,” he said. 

CRT and accessories: Stakeholders call for immediate action 

WASHINGTON – Stakeholders seek signatures for a fast-moving sign-on letter in the House of Representatives to protect access to accessories for complex rehab manual wheelchairs. 

The letter, which asks CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure to extend an 18-month pause on competitive bidding pricing for these accessories, closes June 21. 

“Please email the individual who handles health care issues with your representative’s office,” AAHomecare stated in a bulletin. “Please add any perspectives from your work serving CRT wheelchair users.” 

Accessories for complex rehab manual wheelchairs have been temporarily exempted from bid pricing only until July 1. 

NCART has provided pre-written emails at www.protectmobility.org. The emails ask members to urge CMS leadership to take action before June to stop the cuts and avoid access consequences for people with disabilities who depend on CRT manual wheelchairs. 

The letter is being circulated by Rep. John Larson, D-Conn. 

Humana buys another home care provider 

onehome, Kindred at Home will allow insurance giant to more effectively deliver value-based care, it says 

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Humana has signed a definitive agreement to acquire onehome, a provider of a variety of home-based services, from WayPoint Capital Partners. 

onehome has been operating a value-based model in Florida and Texas, and has served Humana members since 2015. 

“At Humana, we are implementing a strategy to build a new value-based home health model that will improve patient outcomes, increase satisfaction for patients and providers, and provide greater value for health plan partners,” said Susan Diamond, segment president for Humana’s Home Business and the company’s interest CFO. “The acquisition of onehome is a key component of that strategy.” 

News of the deal follows Humana’s announcement to fully acquire and integrate Kindred at Home, a home care provider with more than 775 locations across 40 states. 

The addition of onehome will enable Humana to more effectively deliver value-based home health at a national scale by providing a number of key capabilities, including: 

onehome has significant experience with risk-based contracting and has fully capitated models in place in Florida and Texas that will provide valuable insights for the expansion of similar contracting in other states. 

onehome has developed fully dedicated network management and utilization management systems that can create greater efficiencies for the administration of in-home patient visits. 

onehome owns and manages home-based DME and infusion services for members in its core geographies that can be expanded to other markets and deliver more simplified coordination of these services for patients and providers. 

onehome’s ownership of DME services can deliver greater value and better outcomes through reduced waste and more consistent equipment utilization by members. 

“Since first launching onehome in 2013, we have had a front row seat at the care-in-the-home revolution that is driven by our society’s desire to positively impact clinical outcomes, affordability and patient experience," said Ramon Falero, CEO and co-founder of onehome. "We built the onehome model with a focus on integrating all key home-based patient care delivery needs with risk-taking capabilities and robust technology. We have had the privilege of serving millions of patients with this model – the need for which has only increased during the COVID-19 pandemic.”  

Financial terms of the deal, which is expected to close in the second quarter of 2021, were not disclosed. 

Judge dismisses home infusion lawsuit 

ALEXANDRIA, Va. - A U.S. district court has dismissed a lawsuit filed by the National Home Infusion Association over the implementation of a Medicare home infusion therapy services benefit for a “lack of subject matter jurisdiction.” 

The lawsuit, filed in 2019 against the Department of Health and Human Services, argued that a final rule published in November 2018 that limits reimbursement for professional services to only those days a “skilled professional is in the home,” ignores congressional intent.  

Judge Timothy J. Kelly dismissed the case on the grounds that the court’s jurisdiction over Medicare is limited and that, in most cases, challengers must complete HHS’s four-step appeal and review process prior to filing with the court, according to NHIA. 

The association countered that the multi-year administrative process would have been futile considering the two-year duration of the benefit. 

“It’s frustrating and disappointing that this case was dismissed on a technicality and not considered on its merits,” said Connie Sullivan, BSPharm, NHIA’s CEO. “We still believe that CMS’s implementation is inconsistent with Congress’ intent and over the past two years, we have seen—and documented—how the agency’s actions have negatively impacted patient access to home infusion therapy. This ruling reaffirms the need for Congress to enact clarifying legislation.” 

New research links untreated OSA, COVID-19 infections 

SAN DIEGO – People with untreated obstructive sleep apnea were associated with a higher rate of COVID-19 infection than those who received PAP treatment, according to a poster presented by ResMed and Kaiser Permanente during SLEEP 2021, which was held virtually June 10-13. 

The data showed a dose-response association of OSA severity on infection rate: Patients with untreated mild OSA had a COVID-19 infection rate of 2%, while patients with severe untreated OSA had a COVID-19 infection rate of 2.4%. Bother rates were significantly higher than those treated with PAP at 1.14%. 

“These findings demonstrate the critical importance for people with OSA to receive and stay on PAP therapy,” said Carlos Nunez, M.D., ResMed’s chief medical officer. “In addition to COVID-19, OSA can increase a person’s risk for an array of chronic diseases, so it’s necessary for health care providers to educate patients on the importance of proper CPAP use so they can get optimal sleep, which may help keep their immune systems healthy.” 

The data also showed that patients who engaged in PAP therapy with good adherence had even lower COVID-19 infection rates than patients without OSA (1.3% vs. 1.7%, respectively). 

The study, which was conducted by a team of investigators from Kaiser Permanente and led by pulmonologist Dr. Dennis Hwang, collected data on nearly 82,000 patients in the U.S. who were evaluated for sleep disorders at Kaiser Permanente’s southern California sleep clinic between 2015-20. Of those, 1,493 tested positive for COVID-19 infection. The data collected included electronic health records and sleep study findings, as well as data collected remotely on PAP therapy. 

HHS updates guidance on Provider Relief Fund reporting 

WASHINGTON – The Department of Health and Human Services last week updated guidance on Provider Relief Fund reporting, including that the PRF Reporting Portal will be open for providers to submit information on July 1. Other key updates in the revised “Post-Payment Notice of Reporting Requirements,” according to VGM Government Relations: 

The period of availability of funds is based on the date the payment is received. Previous guidance indicated that all payments be used by June 30, 2021, regardless of when they were received. 

Recipients are required to submit a report for each Payment Received Period in which they received one or more payments exceeding, in the aggregate, $10,000, rather than $10,000 cumulatively across all PRF payments. 

Recipients will have a 90-day period to complete reporting, rather than a 30-day reporting period). 

The reporting requirements are now applicable to recipients of the Skilled Nursing Facility and Nursing Home Infection Control Distribution in addition to General and other Targeted Distributions.  

VGM says updated guidance also includes helpful tables detailing the deadline to use the funds, the deadline to report on the use of the funds, and the timing of payment received date and corresponding reporting time period.  

Virtis Health expands footprint 

NASHUA, N.H. – Virtis Health, a provider of alternate site infusion services, has expanded into five states, with an eye toward expanding nationwide. 

Virtis now has infusion center locations in Arizona, Illinois, Wisconsin, Ohio and Texas, offering a range of therapies for patients with autoimmune disorders, including chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP), multiple sclerosis and myasthenia gravis.  

“Now more than ever, patients are embracing alternate health care sites where quality care is delivered in a comfortable, personalized setting,” said Diego Fairbanks, senior vice president. “We are bringing patients, physicians, health systems and health insurance plans a highly relevant solution to accommodate today’s evolving healthcare needs.” 

Virtis also treats and manages patients with rare and ultra-rare diseases, primary immunodeficiencies and various inflammatory conditions, such as Crohn’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis and ulcerative colitis. 

New hires: Team@Work, NCPA 

Team@Work has hired Rebecca Small as vice president of DME/HME business development. Small has 15 years of experience in health care sales, marketing and billing. “Becky possesses more than two decades of extensive medical equipment and device sales, billing, orthotic fitter and business owner experience,” said Ty Bello, CEO. “She brings a unique business development acumen to the medical equipment provider and those exploring business opportunities in this post-acute market”…The National Community Pharmacists Association has named Matthew Seiler, RN, as the association’s general counsel. In this role Seiler will have responsibility for all legal, transactional, compliance and related activities at NCPA. Most recently, he served as the general counsel of the American Physical Therapy Association. “Matt brings to NCPA a strong background across industries, including in health care law, that will be instrumental as we continue our multi-front efforts to serve independent pharmacists, change the pharmacy payment model and rein in pharmacy benefit managers,” says B. Douglas Hoey, CEO and pharmacist. 

NRRTS sponsors photo contest 

LUBBOCK, Texas - NRRTS asking complex rehab suppliers to take photos of themselves and their clients doing what they do and send them to the organization. As part of the digital photo contest, NRRTS will award prizes to one winner in each of three different categories. Each winner will receive a $100 gift certificate and a poster of their winning photograph for them and their client. NRRTS asks that suppliers make sure they get photo releases from their clients. Contact Bill Noelting for more information: bnoelting@nrrts.org. 
  
AASM names new president 

DARIEN, Ill. – The American Academy of Sleep Medicine has named Dr. Raman Malhotra to a one-year term as president. He will lead the association’s 11,000 accredited member sleep centers and individual members, including physicians, scientists and other health care professionals who provide care for patients with sleep disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea and chronic insomnia. “It’s an honor to have the opportunity to lead the AASM, and I am grateful to serve alongside such dedicated and talented colleagues on the board of directors,” said Malhotra, who has served on the AASM board of directors since 2015. “I’m excited about the year ahead, and I believe that we will make great progress as we work together with our members to continue advancing sleep care and enhancing sleep health to improve lives.” One of Malhotra’s priorities will be to give patients a greater voice within AASM by leading a new Patient Advocacy Roundtable. 

Apria offering raises nearly $140M 

INDIANAPOLIS – Apria has raised more than $139.7 million through a secondary offering of 5,175,000 shares of common stock by a selling stockholder affiliated with Blackstone at a price to the public of $27 per share, including 675,000 shares sold in connection with the full exercise of the option to purchase additional shares granted to the underwriters. Apria did not offer any shares of its common stock and did not receive any net proceeds from the sale of common stock by the selling stockholder. 

NSM expands team in Canada 

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – National Seating & Mobility Canada has added two new members to its team: Dheyaa Qaddo as controller and Eugene Fung as HR and payroll manager. Previously, the company named Dave Munroe director of finance and Rick Nori regional director of Canada. “Expanding our business team with the addition of these respected professionals is crucially important in supporting NSM’s continued growth across Canada,” Nori said. “The knowledge and experience Dave, Dheyaa and Eugene bring to our team will strengthen operations and our ability to provide best-in-class service to our Canadian clients.” Qaddo is responsible for the oversight of accounts payable activities, cash and treasury management, financial accounting and reporting, budgeting, forecasting, taxation and compliance. Fung is responsible for managing the HR team in Canada and overseeing strategic workforce planning and talent acquisition, employee relations, training and development, payroll and benefits. NSM is looking for talent for a variety of other roles in Canada, including rehab equipment professionals and customer service representatives. 

Itamar enhances WatchPAT 

CAESAREA, Israel – Itamar Medical has enhanced its WatchPAT product line to include WatchPAT with SleepPath, a new service that allows subjective data to be collected from patients through the WatchPAT smartphone app, before and after the home sleep test. The company will offer the new service to sleep clinics, giving them access to digital documentation in one report that combines sleep study metrics and patient self-reported data, replacing traditional paper documentation. Itamar Medical has also enhanced the line with WatchPAT ONE-M to allow sleep physicians to order multi-night test and follow-up with their patients after each night of testing to determine if further testing would be beneficial. “These product enhancements reflect our commitment to continuous improvement of the sleep patient pathway by leveraging Itamar’s digital health platform to deliver increased home sleep testing efficiency, broader information access beyond the Apnea Hypopnea Index (AHI) and improving the quality of sleep clinics’ operations around home sleep diagnostics,” said Gilad Glick, president and CEO. Both enhancements were announced during SLEEP 2021, a joint meeting of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society that took place virtually June 10-13. 

Welcome to the board: AAH, Viemed, NHIF 

AAHomecare’s membership has re-elected Bill Guidetti of Apria as chair of the board and has approved Josh Marx of Medicare Service Company as vice chair and Mike Kloos of VGM Insurance as treasurer. Members also elected six people to at-large board seats for three-year terms: Josh Britten of BritKare Home Medical, Lucy Busa of Comfort Medical, Larissa D’Andrea of ResMed, Jennifer Pederson of Lincare, Isaac Rodriguez of National Seating & Mobility, and James Russell of URS Medical. Busa is new to the board; the others were re-nominated to continue their service. Additionally, John Cassar of SuperCare Health has joined the board and executive committee through his role as chair of the Corporate Provider CEO Council…Viemed Healthcare elected eight members to its board of directors during its annual and special meeting of shareholders on June 10: Casey Hoyt, W. Todd Zehnder, William Frazier, Randy Dobbs, Nitin Kaushal, Timothy Smokoff, Bruce Greenstein and Sabrina Heltz...The National Home Infusion Foundation has announced its 2021-2022 board of directors. Joining the board this year: Laila Alqadri, MD, a neurologist and medical director at KabaFusion; Drew Doyle, RPh, senior vice president of sales and market development for Soleo Health; and Mitra Gavgani, PharmD, vice president of Pharmacy Services for Johns Hopkins Home Care Group. Other board members are: Chair Chris Maksym, RPh, PharmD, University of Michigan (ret.); David Franklin, MSA, Advanced Care Consulting Services; Dave Grady, Big Sky IV Care; and Janice Wilhelm, RN, MBA, Advanced Home Care. 

State news: Oklahoma, Louisiana, New York 

The Oklahoma Health Care Authority does not have the authority to implement a managed care plan for the state’s Medicaid system, according to a State Supreme Court ruling. The ruling was cheered by the Oklahoma Medical Equipment Providers Association and other health care providers who have been fighting the proposed move in the state legislature and in the courts. “OMEPA and other health care leaders in Oklahoma have done an exceptional job in spotlighting the potential impacts of the MCO approach on both providers and patients,” said Laura Williard, AAHomecare’s vice president of payer relations. “I’d especially like to acknowledge the persistence of OMEPA President Larry Dalton, Victor Clay of Complete Care Medical and Katie Roberts of Cimarron Medical Services in this fight”…The Louisiana Senate has passed HB 594, a bill that would require insurers, MCOs and other payers to reimburse for ventilators on a continuous monthly rental basis and not cap payments at purchase price. The bill now goes to Gov. John Bel Edwards for his signature…The New York Assembly’s Ways and Means Committee has approved A.5368, a bill that would require Medicaid MCOs to reimburse DME providers at no less than 100% of the state’s published Medicaid DME and CRT fee schedule. The bill now goes to the Rules Committee before heading to the floor for a vote. A companion bill, S.5118, is also eligible for a vote.