Tag: Cuts
State news: Hazard pay in Pennsylvania, growing threat in Minnesota
July 29, 2020HME News Staff
HARRISBURG, Pa. - The Pennsylvania Association of Medical Suppliers (PAMS) has helped to secure COVID-19 hazard pay for HME providers as part of the state's grant program for frontline workers, AAHomecare reports. The Department of Commerce and Economic Development added HME providers to the definition of qualified recipients after a letter to Gov. Tom Wolf, and numerous emails between Mindy Eberhart, executive director of PAMS, and the department. “We are pleased that the Pennsylvania DCED...
Bill targets MCO-related cuts to DME
July 31, 2018Theresa Flaherty, Managing Editor
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - A bill has been introduced in the Illinois General Assembly that would help to address concerns surrounding 10% to 50% cuts to medical supply companies by certain managed care organizations, according to the Herald & Review. House Bill 5930, co-sponsored by Reps. David McSweeney, R-Barrington Hills, and Gregory Harris, D-Chicago, would prohibit medical supply companies from being paid less than 10% below Medicaid “fee for service” rates by MCOs, the newspaper reported....
In wake of cuts, HME providers let chips fall
August 5, 2016Theresa Flaherty, Managing Editor
YARMOUTH, Maine - It's only been a month since CMS rolled out draconian reimbursement cuts across the country, but HME providers have begun playing hardball.“Our company's posture is we don't want a Medicare patient unless the paradigm changes,” said George Kucka, president and CEO of Schererville, Ind.-based Fairmeadows Home Health Care.CMS on July 1 implemented the Round 2 re-compete of competitive bidding, and as part of a nationwide roll out of the program, phased in the second...
Oklahoma Medicaid announces 25% cuts
March 31, 2016HME News Staff
OKLAHOMA CITY - The Oklahoma Health Care Authority, which oversees the state's Medicaid program, is cutting reimbursement rates for more than 46,000 providers by 25%, according to local news reports. Due to a roughly $1.3 billion hole in next year's state budget, state agencies are being directed to prepare for cuts of 15% or more to their budgets. The cuts, which will affect DME providers, hospitals, physicians, pharmacies and nursing facilities, are slated to take effect July 1. "This is a market-changing...
AAH softens blow of Medicaid cuts
May 29, 2015HME News Staff
WASHINGTON - AAHomecare has successfully lobbied the House Energy and Commerce Committee to delay the start date for a provision reducing Medicaid payments to 2020 instead of 2016.
The committee has included the provision, which would limit the federal portion of state Medicaid fee-for-service rates for HME to the Medicare competitive bidding rates, as a “pay-for” in its 21st Century Cures Act.
“AAHomecare will continue to defend against the inclusion of these cuts to Medicaid...
Cuts threaten access to complex rehab in Illinois
May 14, 2015HME News Staff
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - Complex rehab providers in Illinois are facing a double-whammy: an unannounced change to the payment methodology announced in April and an across-the-board payment cut of 16.75% announced in May. As a result, two of the largest providers in the state have temporarily stopped providing products and services. “If nothing is done to reverse these major cuts, this drop in access will significantly compromise the health and independence of Illinois Medicaid participants with...
Providers put services on chopping block
April 18, 2014Leah Hoenen
YARMOUTH, Maine - An overwhelming majority of respondents to a recent HME Newspoll (91%) said lower reimbursement has driven them to cut back on services over the last year.
The area where they've cut the most: deliveries (44%).
“(We) simply can't afford to send a service technician to a patient's home for free,” said Roger Lichty of Rockford, Ill.-based RRTS Mobility Connection.
Instead, companies like Granada Hills, Ca.-based Wishing U Well Medical ask patients...
Rotech cuts back oxygen deliveries
March 25, 2014HME News Staff
ORLANDO, Fla. - Rotech Healthcare has stopped oxygen deliveries, except for first-time set-ups and emergencies, in West Virginia, according to a local TV station. The company is now requiring patients to go to the Elkview location to refill their tanks, WSAZ reports. Rotech told the TV station that the cutbacks in service are the result of restructuring due to its bankruptcy. Another provider in the area, Boll Medical in Charleston, told WSAZ that it still delivers oxygen to more than 60 patients...
President's budget reins in DME spending
March 7, 2014HME News Staff
WASHINGTON - President Obama's fiscal year 2015 budget includes proposals to limit Medicaid spending on DME and to ramp up Medicare fraud efforts.
On Medicaid spending, the budget explains, “States have experienced challenges in preventing overpayments for DME. Starting in 2015, the budget would limit federal reimbursement for a state's Medicaid spending on certain DME services to what Medicare would have paid in the same state for the same services.”
This is the third year...
Heard at VGM: 'The future looks good. It's just different.'
June 5, 2012Liz Beaulieu, Editor
When The VGM Group says it's helping HME providers get ready for the future at its Heartland Conference this week, it means not only professionally but also personally.
VGM kicked off its 11th conference on Tuesday with a rousing presentation by Bryan Dodge, a professional speaker, radio personality and author. Dodge urged providers to live their lives using a golf scorecard, leaving little room for excuses.
“The more excuses you let in, the more room there is for failure,”...