Discussion Forum

From: HME News

WATERLOO, Iowa – Home medical equipment revenues in Iowa could drop by $99.4 million once competitive bidding prices are implemented in 2016, according to a new study. The number of HME providers will also fall, says Ken Brown, a professor at the University of Northern Iowa, who put together the study for The VGM Group. The study also found that, as HME providers go out of business, the impact of competitive bidding will have a ripple effect. Companies that provide services to HME providers, including VGM and Medline, both of which are located in Iowa, will see their … Continue Reading

Written by NAPSI

Washington, DC (NAPSI) – Many Americans are taking their health care into their own  hands in a surprising way.

They’re calling Congress at (202) 224-3121 and asking their  representatives what’s being done about Medicare’s bidding  program for durable medical equipment and services. This type of equipment,  which includes oxygen, hospital beds and wheelchairs, helps to keep seniors  and people with disabilities safe and independent at home. The current system  has alarmed patients and policy experts alike.

Durable or home medical equipment and services also help control health  care spending by preventing costly stays in emergency rooms, hospitals and  nursing homes. … Continue Reading

The Center for Regulatory Effectiveness’ Statement, delivered at today’s CMS Public Meeting on:  “Inherent Reasonableness of Medicare Fee Schedule Amounts for Non-Mail Order (Retail) Diabetic Testing Supplies,” is attached in pdf here and reprinted below.  The Federal Register notice for the meeting is attached here.  Comments are due to CMS by July 30th although the date may be extended.

Statement of the:

Center for Regulatory Effectiveness

before the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

Public Meeting Regarding Inherent Reasonableness of Medicare Fee Schedule Amounts for Non-Mail Order (Retail) Diabetic Testing Supplies

July 23, … Continue Reading

Editor’s Note: For more information about the HHS Inspector General report and its implications for comptitive bidding, please see CRE’s Competitive Bidding blog here.

KELLI KENNEDY

MIAMI (AP) – Firms that are paid tens of millions of dollars to root out Medicare fraud are bidding on contracts to investigate companies they are doing business with — sometimes their own parent companies, according to a government report released Tuesday.

Two-thirds of the companies that bid on contracts during a nearly year-and-a-half time period beginning in October of 2010 had financial ties to claims processors — and in some cases also processed Medicare claims … Continue Reading

Editor’s Note:  To Register to attend the CMS public meeting, click here.   The Federal Register notice with additional information about registering to attend the conference and for submitting oral and written comments to the record, is attached below.  For more information about CMS plans to use its “inherent reasonableness authority” cut payments for diabetic test strips, please see CRE’s DME Competitive Bidding Interactive Public Docket here. 

CMS Plans July 23 Meeting On Using IR For Diabetic Test Strips

CMS has scheduled a public meeting for July 23 to discuss whether it should use its controversial inherent reasonableness authority to … Continue Reading

From: Home Care Magazine

WASHINGTON, June 21, 2012—Three members of Congress have sent a letter to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) asking for a briefing on allegations that the Cuban government may be involved in HME fraud in South Florida.

The letter—by Sens. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah and Tom Coburn, R-Okla., along with Rep. Peter Roskam, R-Ill.—cited two cases of alleged Medicare fraud in the Miami area. One involved Oscar Sanchez, who is accused by federal authorities of funneling to Havana banks $32 million in Medicare funds obtained by billing the agency for fraudulent medical services. The other involves Miguel … Continue Reading