HME News

MAR 2015

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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VOLUME 21 — NUMBER 3 MARCH 2015 $7.00 HME NEWS POLL ■ Invacare's ready for a comeback with an upgrade to the TDX, says CEO Rob Gudbranson. See page 28. ■ Product Spotlight: This month we feature bariatrics products like the Grand Line Heavy-Duty Bariatric Trapeze. See pages 24-25. ■ Has your strategy for the Round 2 re- compete changed? Will you bid higher? On different product categories? See results on page 31. N E W S ■ Industry stakeholders battle old foes. PAGE 4 S M A RT TA L K ■ This month, one columnist tackles customizing news feeds. PAGES 12-13 S P R I N G S H O W ■ Innovative products, educational sessions and "secret sauce" are all on the schedule for Medtrade Spring, says Show Director Kevin Gaffney. The show takes place March 30-April 1. PAGE 26 D E PA RT M E N T S PROVIDERS ■ Savings at the pump. PAGE 15 ■ Lincare on acquisition trail. PAGE 15 MOBILITY ■ PMD demo is working. PAGE 19 ■ CRT conference sets stage. PAGE 19 RX & SPECIALTY PROVIDERS ■ Walgreens sells stake. PAGE 22 ■ Infusion bills reintroduced. PAGE 22 VENDORS ■ ResMed bets on informatics. PAGE 28 ■ Startups break the mold. PAGE 28 W W W . H M E N E W S . C O M 'Providers will be less conservative' ROUND 2 RE-COMPETE Repair tech ranks high on jobs list Employees sent home as agents remove boxes of fi les BY LIZ BEAULIEU, Editor YARMOUTH, Maine – A new rule that allows HME providers to carve up their competitive bidding contracts could make for more aggressive bidding in the Round 2 re-compete, industry attorneys say. CMS has lifted "the prohibition against subdividing a contract that would allow a contract sup- plier to sell a distinct company that furnishes a specifi c product category or (serves) a specific competitive bidding area." "I think providers will be less cautious, conservative and fearful about biting off more than they can chew," said Neil Caesar, presi- dent of the Health Law Center in Greenville, S.C. The 63-day bid window for the Round 2 re-compete opened on Jan. 22. Providers will be more likely to bid in more geographies and for BY TRACY ORZEL, Associate Editor WASHINGTON – CMS has released an FAQ indicating that competitive bid pricing for standard wheel- chair accessories will be applied to complex rehab wheelchair accessories as part of a national expansion of the program slated for Jan. 1, 2016. CMS released the FAQ after mobility stakeholders asked for clarifi cation on a recent fi nal rule mapping out the expansion. "Basically, what CMS is say- ing is each code is only going to have one price determined by the competitive bidding rate," said Don Clayback, executive director of NCART. "This is a BY TRACY ORZEL, Associate Editor W HEN CALVIN Fuller heard that TIME. com named medical equipment repairer as one of "the 5 best jobs you've never heard of," he wasn't surprised. "It's defi nitely a job that a lot more people could do if they knew about it," said Fuller, a senior technician at Addison, Texas-based Repair Express. Medical equipment repair- ers who work on hospital beds and electric wheelchairs can typically learn on the job and earn, on average, $44,000 a year, according to TIME's job description. Skills need- ed: troubleshooting, dexterity, analytical thinking and techni- cal skills. Chuck Wadsworth, the service manager at Keystone Mobility in Hummelstown, BY THERESA FLAHERTY, Managing Editor BOCA RATON, Fla. – An attorney for a mail-order contract supplier that was raided by the FBI in January says the company has "nothing to hide." "Med-Care Diabetic & Medi- cal Supplies has always been transparent in cooperating with inquiries," said Justin Weddle, an attorney with Brown Rudnick, in an email to HME News. "The company has nothing to hide." Federal agents on Jan. 14 descended on the company about 9:30 a.m. and sent most of the company's employees home. WHILL's new wheels WHILL and its Model A personal mobility device is raising eye- brows in the HME industry, as much for its $10,000 price tag as for its sleek design and advanced technology. See story on page 28. Feds raid Med-Care Diabetic Agents were seen removing boxes throughout the day, according to local news reports. Representa- tives of the local police depart- ment, the Florida Division of Insurance Fraud, the Internal Revenue Service and the Depart- ment of Homeland Security also participated. "The process used today was unexpected, but the company is cooperating, and will continue to cooperate fully," said Weddle. In July the company learned that a federal regulatory agency was inquiring about its business practices, Weddle said. CMS stuns with stance on accessories A FEDERAL REGULATORY AGEN- CY has inquired about the com- pany's business practices. J O B S L I S T S E E PA G E 1 7 L E G A L S E E PA G E 3 0 M E D - C A R E S E E PA G E 3 0 C O M P L E X S E E PA G E 2 0 T H E B U S I N E S S N E W S P A P E R F O R H O M E M E D I C A L E Q U I P M E N T P R O V I D E R S

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