Discussion Forum

“Hi, this is Molly…and my husband Floyd…just got a walker, but we’re locked into one place to get it. We’d have to go to downtown Seattle or somewhere far away because now all of a sudden the government has put all these people out of business. But we’ve handled these things before and this is wrong, definitely wrong because how do you get there to get them?  It just really puts a real burden on the individual and I think this needs to be addressed, stopped. This competitive bidding is wrong.  …  Thank you, bye.”

From: Home Care Magazine

When faced with a Medicare audit, documentation can save the day

by Wayne H. van Halem

I’m often asked about how to avoid a Medicare audit. There is only one response I can think of, and that is to quit billing Medicare. Since that’s not a reasonable response, I suggest instead that you take the time to prepare for the inevitable audit. Whether it’s a widespread prepayment review or a provider-focused post-payment review, suppliers must take steps to ensure that they respond quickly and accurately. Your only defense in an audit is documentation, so for the purposes of this article … Continue Reading

Editor’s Note:  The Center for Regulatory Effectiveness’ comments to the White House Office of Management and Budget on CMS’ Information Collection Request for the home medical equipment bidding program is attached here. 

CRE’s comments document that the initial round of their program has “reduced the small business share of the Medicare home medical equipment market by almost half from CMS projections for 2012 and radically reduces the number of Medicare supplies by 85-95%.”

Moreover, “the overwhelming consensus by academic and federal experts” is that CMS program faces the “high probability of failure in the near future” and a “near certainty … Continue Reading

From: Home Care Magazine

NEW YORK, Aug. 7, 2012—United Spinal Association’s VetsFirst program played a key role in supporting the passage of legislation that improves access to service dogs, rehabilitation services and adaptive housing for veterans with disabilities that was signed into law by President Barack Obama on Monday, August 6, 2012.

The legislation, titled The Honoring America’s Veterans and Caring for Camp Lejeune Families Act of 2012 (H.R. 1627), includes several provisions that will help disabled veterans transition back into their communities and regain their independence. Key provisions in H.R. 1627 focus on:

Editor’s Note:  CAP should recognize that Medicare’s so-call “competitive” bidding is anythig but competitive.  Instead, as hudreds of Medicare experts have explained,  the CMS program is “the antithesis of science.”

The Center for American Progress on Wednesday (Aug. 1) recommended far-reaching proposals to cut health care spending that include allowing states to promote payment rates within a global spending target, requiring exchanges to be active purchasers and to offer at least one “tiered” product, using competitive bidding for all commodities in the federal health system and the insurance exchanges, expanding the ban of self-referrals to cover private insurers, requiring full … Continue Reading

From: Home Care Magazine

Philips Respironics, a unit of Royal Philips Electronics is pleased to announce their support of Mark Junge, a 69-year-old adventurer, cyclist and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder (COPD) awareness advocate, as he embarks on a 225 mile bicycle tour to raise awareness for COPD and encourage oxygen-dependent people to stay as active as possible.

The Philips Respironics SimplyGo portable oxygen concentrator (POC) strapped to the back of Junge’s bike will help him breathe more easily on his journey. The approximate 10-day ride begins in Homer, Alaska on July 24. Junge ultimately plans to bike the Atlantic and Pacific coasts … Continue Reading