Archive: November 2012

WASHINGTON - With 59 co-sponsors in their back pockets and organized lobbying efforts scheduled for Dec. 4 and 5, industry stakeholders have direct aim at 100 co-sponsors for H.R. 6490.“Here's hoping we can generate the noise needed to bring that other 40-plus co-sponsors on board,” said Wayne Stanfield, president and CEO of NAIMES. “Because it's coming down to one simple thing: If we don't have 100 or more, we're done.”When it comes to co-sponsors, it's always the more the...

REDDING, Calif. - NorCal Respiratory, a provider of sleep apnea and respiratory equipment, recently acquired Intermountain Respiratory from Mayers Memorial Hospital District in Fall River Mills, Calif. “Our experience and success with home sleep testing and sleep apnea management has helped NorCal establish a strong presence in California's northstate medical community,” stated Jim Rehmann, president of NorCal, in a press release. “Extending those services up to the mountain regions...

LAKE FOREST, Calif. - Apria Healthcare has named John Figueroa as its new CEO and chairman of its board of directors, according to a press release. Figueroa will also assume the position of CEO for Apria's Coram home infusion unit. Figueroa most recently served as CEO and board member of Cincinnati-based Omnicare, a pharmaceutical company. He will succeed Norman Payson, MD, who recently announced his intention to retire. Payson will continue to provide Apria with counsel as senior adviser and as...

WASHINGTON - The Office of Inspector General (OIG) expects to recover $6.9 billion and exclude 3,131 individuals and entities from participating in federal healthcare programs in fiscal year 2012, according to its Semiannual Report to Congress published Nov. 27.Of the OIG's recoveries, $924 million were audit receivables and $6 billion were investigative receivables. Of the exclusions, 778 were criminal actions against individuals or entities that engaged in crimes against Health and Human Services...

WASHINGTON - It appears CMS still has a ways to go before releasing the single payment amounts for Round 2 of competitive bidding.The agency on Nov. 29 sent certain providers who submitted bids an email alerting them to expect an “urgent notification” that requires their “immediate attention and action,” but it wasn't a contract offer.“They are bona fide letters,” said Chris Rice, CEO of Diamond Respiratory Care in Riverside, Calif., who received a letter.The letters...

YARMOUTH, Maine - With Round 2 imminent, buyers and sellers alike are getting off the fence, say M&A analysts. "I think it's sinking in that Round 2 is going to happen," said Rick Glass, president of Steven Richards & Associates in Tarpon Springs, Fla. "Providers are splitting into groups: those that think they know how to make it work at the new rates, and those that are looking for an exit strategy." The fourth-quarter has seen a flurry of deals, mostly strong regional players acquiring...

LAKE FOREST, Calif. - Apria Healthcare has named John Figueroa as its new CEO and chairman of its board of directors, according to a press release. Figueroa will also assume the position of CEO for Apria's Coram home infusion unit. Figueroa most recently served as CEO and board member of Cincinnati-based Omnicare, a pharmaceutical company. He will succeed Norman Payson, MD, who recently announced his intention to retire. Payson will continue to provide Apria with counsel as senior adviser and...

CHICAGO - The health insurance market is rapidly consolidating, according to a new report by the American Medical Association (AMA).The report, released Nov. 28, examines insurer competition for point-of-service plans (POS), health maintenance organizations (HMO) and preferred provider organizations (PPO).“The broad scope of the new AMA analysis provides the most complete picture of the consolidation trend in health insurance markets,” stated Jeremy Lazarus, AMA president, in a release....

In honor of 1.) the 2011 data finally being added to our HME Databank (thank you for your patience!) and 2.) the 2012 State of the Industry Report appearing in our December issue, I have a little pop quiz for you. HME Databank 1.)    Who were the top five providers of CPAP devices (E0601) in 2011?2.)    Who was the No. 1 provider of blood glucose strips in New York?3.)    How much did Medicare spend on oxygen concentrators (E1390) in 2011?4.)  ...

WASHINGTON - CMS “strongly urges” bidders to read the financial document requirements in the Round 1 recompete Request for Bids (RFB) instructions and to make sure all documents meet the specific requirements. All documents must be received by the competitive bidding implementation contractor (CBIC) on or before Dec. 14, 2012. Bids that do not meet the requirements will be disqualified. It is not too late to submit corrections to financial documents that have already been submitted. Faxed...