Enjoying increased attendance from last year, the Midwest Association for Medical Equipment Services (MAMES) wrapped its Spring Convention on a high note, with positive feedback from attendees and exhibitors alike.
The event was held March 26 to 28 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Downtown in Omaha, Neb. and featured a new Exhibit Hall layout that provided what the association called “more open feel” that helped visiting providers see throughout the hall.
“MAMES is blessed to have the very best associate members who support our events in so many ways,” said MAMES Executive Director Rose Schafhauser. “With nearly 50 percent of our exhibiting members being annual, or convention sponsors, or both, we have the ability to bring together the very best educational, networking and exhibit experience possible.”
The association also used the event as an opportunity to name Colleen Brabec as the 2014 MAMES Above and Beyond Award winner. Brabec, owner and general manager of . Council Bluffs, Iowa HME business Mobilis Inc. was recognized for her work in the HME industry on a state, regional and national level.
Some of Brabec’s advocacy activities included:
- Brabec hosted Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) for an early morning tour of Mobilis and a discussion with him about the issues. The effort was part of a 2012 Business Roundtable event hosted by MAMES and VGM, that brought together all the players affected by CMS’ competitive bidding program and three members of congress in Iowa and Nebraska. MAMES members were invited and many attended the event.
- In November of 2013, Brabec hosted a Council Bluffs/Omaha Roundtable meeting along with MAMES and VGM that centered around the unsustainable competitive bid rates for Round Two Competitive Bidding and the resulting impact on access to care for beneficiaries and the devastating impact on small businesses. Brabec showed Rep. Tom Latham (R-Iowa) clear evidence of how the bid rates resulted in negative revenue after their total cost including their costs for administration, billing, delivery and follow up services.
- In December, Brabec organized and hosted a large fundraiser for Latham that saw participation from several local business owners.
- In February, Brabec flew to Washington DC to participate in the OMHA Medicare Appellants Forum, and despite the winter storm in DC, stayed an extra day to visit Capitol Hill to educate congress on the issues not only related to competitive bidding, but the impact audits were having on the industry.
- Colleen has participated in nearly every event hosted by MAMES since joining, and has had Mobilis’s staff participate as well.