HME News is the monthly business newspaper for home medical equipment providers. This controlled circulation publication reaches 17,100 home medical equipment services providers, including traditional HME dealers & suppliers, hospital- and pharmacy-o
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Rx and Specialty Providers Briefs Cooke & Burnell Orthopedic Supplies closes down PITTSFIELD, Mass. – Cooke & Burnell Ortho- pedic Supplies has closed, after an attempt to merge with another company failed, ac- cording to the Berkshire Eagle. Cooke & Burnell, which had four employees, stopped accepting new patients on Jan. 1, but it re- mained open for several weeks so that com- pany officials could tie up loose ends. The merger was how they planned to renew their five-year license to sell orthopedic supplies, which expired at the end of 2017. Company officials decided to close the business, in- stead of searching for another license holder, because they didn't have enough time, the newspaper reported. In addition to braces, Cooke & Burnell provided a wide range of other HME, including electric scooters, lift chairs, hospital beds, diabetic shoes and bathroom accessories. The company has been providing customers with a list of six other firms in the Berkshires that provide similar equipment and supplies. NHIA releases updated coding resource ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The National Home Infu- sion Association has released the 2018 ver- sion of the NHIA National Coding Standard for Home Infusion Claims under HIPAA. The document presents HCPCS per diem "S" codes as a comprehensive coding system for home infusion therapy claims, and pro- vides procedures for their use, information about what's included in the home infusion per diem, and detailed coding examples for both typical and unusual claims. The re- source is available for free. NY railway starts OSA program GLENDALE, N.Y. – New York & Atlantic Railway launched an Obstructive Sleep Apnea pro- gram on Jan. 23, screening nearly 40 NYA locomotive engineers and conductors in New York City and Long Island, N.Y. If need- ed, they will receive treatment under the sup- port and care of the railway's medical team, according to a press release. NYA is billing itself as the first short-line freight railroad in the United States to institute such an OSA program. It is working on the program with Rocky Mountain Sleep Disorders Center. Aeroflow Breastpumps offers support directory ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Aeroflow Breastpumps, a subsidiary of Aeroflow Healthcare, has launched a Lactation Support Directory, a national directory of more than 600 lacta- tion consultants to help with breastfeeding questions. "Aeroflow Breastpumps' mis- sion is to increase the instances of breast- feeding nationally," said Jennifer Jordan, Aeroflow director of Mom & Baby. "Part of that commitment goes beyond simply providing the best equipment and ex- tends to providing resources, support and education." www. H me N ew S . CO m / m A r CH 2018 / H me N ew S 17 Home infusion scores big win . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Q&A;: Option Care CEO John Rademacher . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 New alliance aims to connect sleep community . . . . . . . 17 CPAP Stores eyes 50 locations by 2020 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 ■ There are still no local coverage determinations for vents, but the RACs are auditing, anyway, says Kelly Grahovac. See story page 1. By Theresa Flaher T y, Managing e ditor WASHINGTON – Passage of a temporary payment for infusion services validates the role those services play in caring for patients and reduc- ing costs, stakeholders say. The payment was part of a government spending bill passed by the House of Repre- sentatives and the Senate in the early hours of Feb. 9. "We're excited—not only did this fix the gap, but it further cements the recognition of home infusion therapy within the Medicare program and its attendant clinical services," said Tyler Wilson, president and CEO of the National Home Infusion Association. "That recognition will be important to reinforce our efforts going forward on other challenges." The association and other stake- holders in the home infusion com- munity have sought the temporary payment to address a gap created by the 21st Century Cures Act, which requires Medicare to pay for servic- es associated with providing Part B infusion drugs, but not until 2021. The tem- porary payment will be effective Jan. 1, 2019, as outlined in the Medicare Home Infusion Therapy Access Act of 2017. CMS officials have said they need a year to implement the temporary payment and stakeholders are ready to get to work, they say. "Our next steps are to come together as a community to identi- fy how we see this coming together and working with CMS in front of and behind the scenes to make sure it's seamless and we are ready to go on Jan. 1," said Ken van Pool, vice president of legislative affairs for the NHIA. hme By Theresa Flaher T y, Managing e ditor PHOENIX – Attendees at this year's National Home Infusion Associa- tion annual conference will learn the nuts and bolts of operating in a changing environment, organizers say. "We're starting to talk about business management and how you manage organizational change," said Jennifer Charron, vice president for clinical services at NHIA. "HIPAA, cybersecurity, inventory man- agement—there are a lot of things out there to think about. We have to understand that we have to continue to change, and think about how to put those changes in place and hold on to those changes." By Theresa Flaher T y, Managing e ditor O PTION C ARE kicked off the new year with a new CEO, John Rademach- er, who had previously served as interim CEO and COO. Rademacher, whose resume includes executive level roles at Cardinal Health and Cigna, says the home infusion sector is at an "interesting intersec- tion between high quality and appropriate costs." "Payers, health systems and pharmaceutical manufacturers are realizing that home infusion offers a real important service to patients," he said. Rademacher spoke with HME News recently about where he hopes to lead Option Care going forward. hme News: What's behind Option Care's success? John Rademacher: First and fore- Congress passes payment fix Big win for hoMe infusion By Theresa Flaher T y, Managing e ditor DARIEN, Ill. – With so many health diagnoses vying for the public's attention, the voice of sleep dis- orders has been underrepre- sented, says the chairwoman of a new patient-centered group. The American Alliance for Healthy Sleep, launched by the American Academy of Sleep Alliance aims to connect sleep community Medicine, offers memberships ($25 for two years) to patients, healthcare providers and any- one else with an interest in sleep. "We will concentrate on education and let- ting the public know, as well as patients and pro- viders, that we want to partner with them," said Patti Van Landingham. The alliance website, sleepallies.org, offers informa- tion and resources like a search feature for support groups and the latest in healthcare news. S HA p IN g t H e m ISSION The next year or so will involve shap- ing the direction of the group, but Van Landingham expects patients to play a huge role. "Everyone will be welcome to contribute as we go along," said Van Landingham, who has narcolepsy. "We want to see what the members' inter- ests are and a lot will be direct- ed by the patients themselves. We can certainly all learn from one another." t ell IN g t H e S t O r I e S The website offers a place for patients to converse with oth- ers and share their personal stories of dealing with a sleep disorder, says Van Landingham, 'We can all learn from one another' Conference offers 'lots to think about' Option Care CEO: Home infusion at 'intersection' most it's our people. We've got a great team of highly qualified and trained professionals and that has been part of the heri- tage of Option Care over a near- ly 40-year history. We focus on the patient and it's in everything we do as an organization. We also have been investing substantially into the busi- ness, into our people, into our processes, t e c h n o l o g y a n d e q u i p - ment at a pace that is allowing us to not only grow, but also take market share to win in the mar- ketplace. hme : Are you seeing a lot of new infusion drugs coming to the market? J . Rademacher R A D E M A C H E R s e e pa g e 1 8 A L L I A N C E s e e pa g e 1 8 C O N F E R E N C E s e e pa g e 1 8 Van Landingham Tyler Wilson The Na T io N al h ome iN fusio N a ssocia T io N 's conference once again includes "fan favorite" roundtable sessions .