Discussion Forum

From: Harrington Management Group

week ending September 21, 2012

by David Bargmann

There are weeks that I wish a blog didn’t need to be a summary. This week is certainly one of them!

Provider News On September 11, 2012, the Subcommittee on Healthcare and Technology held a hearing on “Medicare’s Durable Medical Equipment Competitive Bidding Program: How are Small Suppliers Faring?” Tennessee-based Lamberts educated followers on the entire proceeding via YouTube.

Lamberts HC ‏@LambertsHC Interested in last week’s Small Business hearing on Competitive Bidding? Watch it: http://fb.me/tzilujtU

Need a reason to celebrate? The President of Capital Healthcare Group tweeted about NSC supplier standards and updated processes.

Mary Ellen Conway ‏@MEConway1 Just learned the NSC no longer requires suppliers to provide a copy of the complete Supp Stndrs to pts. Just text to request them. Hooray!

Read of one of the hundreds of provider stories who went out of business after NCB. AAHomecare tweeted about Yucca Valley, CA-based Medi-Source closing its doors after 25 years, showing how real NCB is to patients in rural communities.

AAHomecare ‏@aahomecare Medi-Source, an #HME co. in CA, is closing. Read why in owner Esta Willman’s letter to House Small Bus. committee : http://j.mp/S51NvQ

Manufacturer/Media News Do you think audits only affect HME? Think again. Poll details from The National Community Pharmacists Association show community pharmacists being “hammered.”

Liz Beaulieu ‏@hmeliz #hmenews from @hmetheresa: Pharmacies feeling the pinch of audits, too. http://www.hmenews.com/article/audits-overwhelm-pharmacists

With unit sales down 30% compared to last year, The Scooter Store gave pink slips to 220 employees. Lagging manufacturing sales are blamed on lower government reimbursement. Will others follow suit into 2013?

Jordan Flowers ‏@JordanMFlowers Scooter Store lays off 220 workers yesterday. http://www.ksat.com/news/The-Scooter-Store-announces-mass-layoffs/-/478452/16653838/-/gp6wy1/-/index.html …

Medtrade tweeted a nice recap of the first broadcast of HME Voice, an online radio show. The first guest, Invacare CEO Mal Mixon, is optimistic to see real progress made to replace competitive bidding with the marketing pricing program.

Medtrade ‏@MedtradeConnect Mal Mixon is First Guest on #HMEVoice: “Fight to the Bitter End” | #MedtradeMonday @hmeliz @invacarecorp @msperduti http://ow.ly/dNWPm

HME News held the annual Business Summit this week in Pittsburgh. Three classes of providers received Excellence Awards. They also investigated how private equity (PE) views the HME industry’s ability to reduce over-all healthcare costs. Will we see more PE acquisitions in 2013?

Liz Beaulieu ‏@hmeliz Congrats to 2012 HME Excellence Award winners. Best HME Provider: Handi Medical Supply and Mike Bailey. Best RT Provider: Bluegrass Oxygen and Mike Marnhout. Best Rehab Technology Provider: Home Health Depot and David Hartley and Nathan Feltman. #hmenews #hmeexcellence

Liz Beaulieu ‏@hmeliz PE firms on HME: As much as getting beaten up, payers want to exist cause lower cost, patients want to exist cause preferred. We want to invest in businesses that address healthcare costs. That’s attractive. #hmesummit

“Big Brother” News GOP members on the Senate Special Aging Committee called a hearing about Medicare contractor requirement to sign off on power wheelchairs prior to delivery. The Washington Post quoted Michael Clark, general counsel for the Scooter Store, saying the pilot project goes too far. Every claim his business submitted under the new program has been denied. See Liz Beaulieu’s Tweet to access the entire session via C-Span.

Melanie Combs-Dyer ‏@melaniedyer Wheelchair suppliers say crack down on Medicare fraud goes too far; insurer applauds effort http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/health_care/wheelchair-suppliers-say-effort-to-crack-down-on-medicare-fraud-goes-too-far/2012/09/19/032ee93a-02ab-11e2-9132-f2750cd65f97_story.html

Liz Beaulieu ‏@hmeliz Listen to today’s congressional hearing on power wheelchair fraud. #hmenews http://www.c-span.org/mobile/Events/Senate-Special-Aging-Cmte-Looks-at-Medicare-Fraud/10737434219/

An Office of Management and Budget (OMB) report released showed sequestration would cause an $11 billion cut to Medicare costs. While the article focuses on Medicare cuts to physician reimbursement, HME should note a $78 million cut in funds to fight fraud and abuse. Much more to come on this subject before year-end.

HFNewsTweet ‏@HFNewsTweet Health groups oppose $11B in potential sequestration Medicare cuts bit.ly/PBdJaS | #Healthcare Finance News

Georgie Blackburn of PA-based Blackburn, disagrees with Mal Mixon’s optimism on HME Voice, painting a “glass half full” picture of MPP by year-end.

Medtrade ‏@MedtradeConnect “Secure support for the #marketpricingprogram (MPP) to replace Medicare’s current bid methodology.” It’s Game On http://ow.ly/dNXJZ