The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced its final coding, benefit category, and payment determinations for seat elevation on Complex Rehab Technology (CRT) power wheelchairs. But the agency is putting off its final coding and funding decisions for seat elevation on consumer power chairs. The CRT determinations were included in CMS’s Second…
Feature Stories See More >
CMS Pauses Group 2 Seat Elevation Coding, Funding Decisions
Why Cardinal Health ‘Wants to Be a Major’ Enabler of At-Home Care
Rob Schlissberg, president of Cardinal Health’s at-home business, looks forward to 2024.
NHIA Releases Practice Standard for Home Infusion Electronic Mechanical Pumps
New standard provides guidance to home infusion stakeholders.
Study: Caregivers’ Health Is Poorer Than Health of Non-Caregivers
U.K. study cites the mental and physical toll of taking care of others.
CMS Releases Details of Lymphedema Compression Treatment Coverage
Medicare coverage starts Jan. 1, 2024.
Legislative See More >
CRT Fly-In to Focus on Medicare Pathway for Ultralightweight Frame Upgrades
Advocates at the Sept. 10 event on Capitol Hill will ask for support for H.R. 5371.
The Complex Rehab Technology (CRT) Fly-In to Capitol Hill on Sept. 9-10 will focus on creating a path for Medicare beneficiaries to upgrade to titanium or carbon fiber frames for ultralightweight wheelchairs (HCPCS code K0005). “Mobility stakeholders are having in-person meetings with House and Senate offices on Sept. 10 to advocate for improved consumer access…
AAHomecare Fly-In: HME Leaders Meet with 140+ Congressional Offices
During the May 15 event, industry representatives advocated for Medicare rate relief and H.R. 5371.
AAHomecare: Final Push Needed for S.1294/H.R. 5555 Support
Advocates are asked to reach out to their Senators and Representatives.
House Energy & Commerce Health Subcommittee Approves Two HME Bills
H.R. 5555 and H.R. 5371 now proceed to the full Energy & Commerce Committee.
NCPA Supports Senate PBM Bills
The Better Mental Health Care, Lower-Cost Drugs, and Extenders Act was passed by the Senate Finance Committee last week.
Today on HME Business
Fisher & Paykel Earnings Call: Company Lauds ‘Strong Performance’ of New Sleep Apnea Masks
CEO Lewis Gradon said the Nova Micro, Solo Autofit, and Evora Full masks address the needs of a wide range of patients.
Fisher & Paykel Healthcare (NZX: FPH; ASX: FPH) praised the performance of several new masks to treat obstructive sleep apnea, as the New Zealand-based manufacturer announced record first-half revenue numbers in a Nov. 28 earnings call. The call discussed Fisher & Paykel’s results for the first half of the 2025 financial year, which ended Sept.…Inogen CEO: Company’s ‘Great Progress’ Being Led by Strong POC Sales
The manufacturer launched the Rove 4 portable oxygen concentrator in October.
Inogen’s “great progress” in the third quarter of 2024 was led by strong portable oxygen concentrator (POC) sales, CEO Kevin Smith said in the company’s (Nasdaq: INGN) Nov. 7 earnings call. “I am pleased to share that we are making great progress against our strategic initiatives, beginning with our progress on driving topline growth,” Smith…CMS Seeks to Remove ‘Barriers to Care’ in Medicare Advantage, Build Guardrails Around AI
The announcement targeted “inappropriate” use of prior authorizations by Medicare Advantage plans.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is looking to further crack down on the companies that administer the privatized version of Medicare. On Nov. 26, CMS proposed new policies aimed at holding Medicare Advantage (MA) plans more accountable while removing “unnecessary barriers to care” for Medicare beneficiaries. The policies target “inappropriate” prior authorization…Briefly: ACHC Launches Home-Based Acute Health-Care Accreditation; New Survey Reveals the Stress of Business Travel
Featuring Accreditation Commission for Health Care and Booking.com.
ACHC Now Providing In-Home Hospital Care Accreditation Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC) has launched an accreditation program for home-based acute health care providers. In a Nov. 20 news announcement, ACHC said the new program is “aimed at setting industry standards for safety, quality and patient-centered care in the rapidly evolving field of home-based acute…BOC Names Wendy Miller the 2024 Jim Newberry Award Winner
Miller was lauded for her many years of service and volunteer work.
The Board of Certification/Accreditation (BOC) has presented its 2024 Jim Newberry Award to Wendy Miller, BOCO, LO, CDME. The award honors extraordinary service. “There are few people who have served BOC for so many years and in so many capacities,” said BOC Board Chairman Cameron Stewart, BOCO, BOCP, in a Nov. 19 announcement. “Wendy is…
Pride Mobility Launches Jazzy Ultra Light Folding Power Wheelchair
The power chair is the latest addition to the manufacturer’s lineup of travel power chairs.
Pride Mobility’s latest transportable power chair weighs just 33 lbs. without its battery. The new foldable Jazzy Ultra Light features an all carbon-fiber frame “durable enough to withstand all your customers’ travels, but light enough to make every trip a cool breeze, whether through airports, on cruise ships, or just around the block,” Pride said…
HME Business Webinar: How an Effective Intake Strategy Can Support Audit Successes
The Dec. 5 webinar will feature Noel Neil and Jennifer Sylvester from ACU-Serve.
In a new HME Business webinar on Dec. 5 — Achieving Audit Success Through Effective Intake Solutions — ACU-Serve’s Chief Compliance Officer Noel Neil and VP of Ancillary Services Jennifer Sylvester will discuss how robust intake solutions can help to achieve successful outcomes in Medicare Targeted Probe and Educate (TPE) audits. The TPE program is…Pride Mobility Launches Go Go Super Portable Scooter
Foldable scooter weighs 41.6 lbs. excluding its lithium battery.
Pride Mobility has launched the Go Go Super Portable, a scooter “designed with simplicity in mind for your customers — easy to fold, easy to charge, and easy to store.” In its Nov. 22 press release, the manufacturer described the Go Go Super Portable as “ideal for a long getaway, a trip around the block,…
Acentus Is Acquired by Henry Schein Inc.
Acentus provides CGMs, wound care supplies, and urological and incontinence supplies.
Acentus, a Tampa, Florida-based national home medical equipment provider, has been acquired by Henry Schein Inc. (Nasdaq: HSIC), based in Melville, New York. In a Nov. 20 news announcement, Henry Schein — a global provider of health-care solutions to office-based dental and medical practitioners — said the Acentus acquisition reinforces “the company’s strategic commitment to…CMS Proposes Medicare, Medicaid Coverage for Anti-Obesity Drugs
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ proposed rule will be published in the Federal Register on Dec. 10.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is proposing Medicare and Medicaid coverage for drugs prescribed to treat obesity, the agency said in a Nov. 26 news announcement. “In recognition of the prevailing medical consensus that obesity is a disease, CMS is proposing to reinterpret the statute to no longer exclude anti-obesity medications for…People in HME See More >
BOC Names Wendy Miller the 2024 Jim Newberry Award Winner
Miller was lauded for her many years of service and volunteer work.
The Board of Certification/Accreditation (BOC) has presented its 2024 Jim Newberry Award to Wendy Miller, BOCO, LO, CDME. The award honors extraordinary service. “There are few people who have served BOC for so many years and in so many capacities,” said BOC Board Chairman Cameron Stewart, BOCO, BOCP, in a Nov. 19 announcement. “Wendy is…
HME Business November ebook: Anticipating the Year Ahead
In the latest digital edition, industry leaders speak out on 2024’s highlights … and lowlights.
Merits USA VP Andrew Maskery to Take Over As President in January
Current President Mike Laiman will remain with the company, the manufacturer said.
Miller’s Rentals and Sales Celebrates Diamond Jubilee
The home medical equipment provider was founded in 1949.
NCPA Installs New President, Officers at Annual Convention
The National Community Pharmacists Association welcomed new leadership during its annual convention.
Accreditation See More >
Briefly: ACHC Launches Home-Based Acute Health-Care Accreditation; New Survey Reveals the Stress of Business Travel
Featuring Accreditation Commission for Health Care and Booking.com.
ACHC Now Providing In-Home Hospital Care Accreditation Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC) has launched an accreditation program for home-based acute health care providers. In a Nov. 20 news announcement, ACHC said the new program is “aimed at setting industry standards for safety, quality and patient-centered care in the rapidly evolving field of home-based acute…
BOC Names Wendy Miller the 2024 Jim Newberry Award Winner
Miller was lauded for her many years of service and volunteer work.
November 2024: HME’s Road Ahead
BOC Introduces Long-Term Care at Home Pharmacy Accreditation
The new offering supports pharmacies providing care to patients with long-term health-care needs who remain in their homes.
HME Business Webinar: The Benefits of DMEPOS Retailer Certification for Non-Medicare Providers
Free on-demand education, sponsored by The Compliance Team, discusses certification timelines and expectations.
COVID-19 See More >
Despite Its Resounding Success Story, A Major Opportunity for HME Companies Is in Danger of Going Away
The CMS hospital-at-home program is facing a potential expiration at the end of this year.
As 2024’s end draws near, one of health care’s biggest success stories from the past five years finds itself in peril. That’s not great news for the home medical equipment (HME) industry, which could see a promising opportunity vanish. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) hospital-at-home program, which began during the COVID-19 pandemic,…
Competitive Bidding See More >
Inside the Leitten NCB Report: How DME Can Save Medicare Money
The newly published VGM report emphasizes that durable medical equipment is an investment rather than a cost to be reduced.
The Medicare national competitive bidding program (NCB) for durable medical equipment (DME) traces its roots to 2003’s Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act. Since 2011, NCB — like a sword that slashes reimbursement, closes down businesses, restricts access — has hung over the heads of home medical equipment providers who work with Medicare. That’s…
Report: Medicare Should Focus on Timely DME Provision, Not Competitive Bidding
A new report from Leitten Consulting suggests that competitive bidding has “reached its natural end.”
House Committee Passes Amended Version of H.R. 5555
New version excludes the 90/10 blended rate adjustment for suppliers in former CBAs.
CMS Releases Details of Lymphedema Compression Treatment Coverage
Medicare coverage starts Jan. 1, 2024.
Summer Legislative Push: Rallying Support for S. 1294
Mobility See More >
How to Properly Document Power Mobility Claims
If the documentation is not right, the claim for a very expensive piece of HME can prompt an audit that results in a denial and negates funding for that claim. How can providers ensure they are properly documenting power mobility claims?
Oxygen See More >
Inogen CEO: Company’s ‘Great Progress’ Being Led by Strong POC Sales
The manufacturer launched the Rove 4 portable oxygen concentrator in October.
Inogen’s “great progress” in the third quarter of 2024 was led by strong portable oxygen concentrator (POC) sales, CEO Kevin Smith said in the company’s (Nasdaq: INGN) Nov. 7 earnings call. “I am pleased to share that we are making great progress against our strategic initiatives, beginning with our progress on driving topline growth,” Smith…
Inogen Launches Rove 4 Portable Oxygen Concentrator
The POC’s lightweight construction is designed to keep users ambulatory.
Briefly: EZ-ACCESS Provides Ramps for Bull-Riding Legend; Drive DeVilbiss Introduces O2 Concentrator for Low-Income Nations
Featuring EZ-ACCESS, Drive DeVilbiss, and Sanrai International.
Inogen Announces Q2 Financial Results, Anticipates Overall Growth in 2024
Higher demand and new customers drive growth, the manufacturer reported.
Inogen Appoints New General Counsel and EVP of Business Development
The new addition is a health-care industry veteran.
Pain Management See More >
Must-Stock Retail DME Categories
What DME items should be sitting on your retail shelves? We take a look at some key product categories that any pharmacy specializing in DME products should offer.
Retail See More >
HME Business Podcast: The Benefits of Retailer Certification Across the DMEPOS Spectrum
How traditional home medical equipment providers as well as pharmacies can benefit from retailer certification.
Cash-pay DMEPOS transactions made by baby boomers, as well as by Generation X members and millennials making purchases for their parents and grandparents, are becoming more and more common. A new HME Business podcast takes a closer look at this industry trend, as well as the benefits of retailer certification for these types of businesses.…
Sales & Marketing See More >
Space Still Available for Medtrade Workshops
Attendees still have time to sign up for the Certified Durable Medical Equipment Specialist, the Team@Work Sales Bootcamp, and the Retail Fundamentals Workshop.
Sleep Therapy See More >
Fisher & Paykel Earnings Call: Company Lauds ‘Strong Performance’ of New Sleep Apnea Masks
CEO Lewis Gradon said the Nova Micro, Solo Autofit, and Evora Full masks address the needs of a wide range of patients.
Fisher & Paykel Healthcare (NZX: FPH; ASX: FPH) praised the performance of several new masks to treat obstructive sleep apnea, as the New Zealand-based manufacturer announced record first-half revenue numbers in a Nov. 28 earnings call. The call discussed Fisher & Paykel’s results for the first half of the 2025 financial year, which ended Sept.…
CMS Proposes Medicare, Medicaid Coverage for Anti-Obesity Drugs
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ proposed rule will be published in the Federal Register on Dec. 10.
VieMed Q3 Earnings Call: Sleep, Ventilator Business Units Drive Strong Growth
The company also voiced support for reconsideration of the national coverage determination for noninvasive ventilation.
ResMed Introduces AirTouch N30i Fabric-Wrapped CPAP Mask
The new mask was “designed to create a natural and comfortable sleep experience.”
Fisher & Paykel Launches F&P Solo Pillows Sleep Apnea Mask
The new mask can be paired with the manufacturer's AutoFit headgear to easily achieve an optimal fit.
Software & IT See More >
Össur Launches EmpowerX DMEPOS Workflow Management System
The new software program was designed to reduce admin time for orthopedic providers.
Össur has launched a fully automated, AI-integrated DMEPOS practice and workflow management solution for orthopedic providers and hospital systems in the United States. In a Sept. 23 news announcement, Össur said EmpowerX is “designed to streamline workflows, reduce errors and enhance patient care” while giving clinicians the freedom “to focus on delivering excellent patient care…