Tag: Home Medical Equipment (HME)
Upcoming Legislative Conference: Office visits, watercooler chats boost support
April 11, 2025Theresa Flaherty, Managing Editor
WASHINGTON – AAHomecare’s first in-person Washington Legislative Conference in several years will allow attendees to not only line up support for industry causes but also set the stage for years to come with new members on committees of jurisdiction.
“We have a number of freshman lawmakers that have been appointed to these committees,” said Jay Witter, senior vice president of government relations. “This is a great opportunity for our folks to establish these...
Bellevue Healthcare sparks 25th year with growth
April 11, 2025Theresa Flaherty, Managing Editor
BELLEVUE, Wash. – Patient demand and existing relationships in the region provided a natural jumping off point for Bellevue Healthcare’s newest location in Salem, Ore., its fourth in the state and 22nd overall, says Bryce Schaffner.
The new location will offer a full range of mobility and respiratory equipment, as well as a retail business. It will also serve hospice customers who were previously served from another location.
“There’s a lot of unmet need...
Heartland preview: New tracks, plus return of keynote & pre-conference
April 11, 2025Tracy Orzel
WATERLOO, Iowa – It’s not just another year for the 2025 VGM Heartland Conference – it’s a handoff, a love letter to the small-town Midwest and a map for the industry’s future.
Growing up in the Heartland
Jill Blaser, senior director of operations for VGM Education, will wrap up her tenure as chair of the Heartland Planning Committee this year. Blaser has shaped the event for the past six years, but her involvement stretches back to the days of stocking...
Providers expect margin squeeze
April 4, 2025Theresa Flaherty, Managing Editor
YARMOUTH, Maine – Amid all the chaos in Washington, D.C., including reorganizations and layoffs at CMS and potential Medicaid spending cuts, the administration’s far-reaching tariffs are of particular concern, say HME providers.
President Donald Trump implemented a new 10% tariff on all imported goods, no matter where they come from, on April 2, with even higher tariffs for certain countries.
“If someone were to ask me what keeps me up at night, it’s the...
From fax machines to machine learning: The fight for efficiency
April 4, 2025Tracy Orzel
Modernization and efficiency: Providers are adopting next-generation solutions for scalability, automation and efficiency to overcome challenges like tighter reimbursements and labor shortages.
Proactive RCM: Companies are focusing on front-end optimization to reduce denials and maximize clean claims, using tools like QuickSight for real-time analytics and reporting.
AI and data security: AI-powered solutions are transforming manual processes, while robust...
Tariffs: AAH joins letter, F&P expects impact
April 3, 2025HME News Staff
WASHINGTON – AAHomecare is among 10 health care groups asking the administration to exempt medical and dental supplies, equipment and devices from tariffs in a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.
The letter was sent April 1, one day before President Donald Trump imposed numerous new tariffs, including a 10% base tariff on imports from all countries.
The letter emphasizes the potential for tariffs to raise costs and impact supply chains – ultimately...
WFH sticks – for now
March 21, 2025Liz Beaulieu, Editor
YARMOUTH, Maine – Five years on from the COVID-19 pandemic and despite a broad return-to-office movement, work from home is a policy that still holds up for most respondents to a recent HME Newspoll.
Eighty-one percent of respondents reported they have employees who work from home and nearly 70% say they’re not reconsidering their policy.
“WFH was a virtually seamless transition during COVID,” wrote Erin Dolan of Med-Essentials in New Hartford, Conn. “My...
AAHomecare urges tariff exemptions
March 20, 2025HME News Staff
WASHINGTON – AAHomecare has asked the Trump Administration to exclude home medical equipment and supplies from current and proposed tariffs.
The administration in early March delayed proposed 25% tariff increases on products covered under the 2020 United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) until April. These potential new tariffs would join 20% tariffs on products from China that are already in effect.
Over the last two months, AAHomecare has engaged Capitol Hill...
Stakeholders try to ‘push through’
March 7, 2025Theresa Flaherty, Managing Editor
WASHINGTON – With Republicans looking to make steep cuts to government spending, it’s wait-and-see as to whether Medicare or Medicaid will be on the chopping block.
Industry stakeholders are optimistic, however, that these two large funding sources are safe – for now.
“There’s probably 10 moderate Republicans that will oppose any cuts in care – that’s kind of the third rail in politics,” says Jay Witter, senior vice president of public...
Heartland 2025 registration opens
March 6, 2025HME News Staff
WATERLOO, Iowa – Registration is open for VGM’s Heartland Conference June 9-11 in Waterloo, Iowa. Registrants can choose from more than 60 educational sessions and panel discussions to attend and earn contact hours/CEUs on topics such as billing and compliance, technology and security, business operations, complex rehab technology, leadership and people strategy, respiratory, sales, marketing, and integrated health and policy topics. “VGM Heartland Conference always offers a fun,...