Archive: September 2014

NEW BERLIN, Wis. - Home Care Medical has received the HME Provider of the Year award from the Wisconsin Association of Medical Equipment Services (WAMES). This is the third year in a row the provider has been honored with the award. Also receiving awards: Jim Spellman, director of operations and WAMES president, received the Industry Excellence award for his efforts on the WAMES Legislative Committee; and Donna Smith, director of respiratory care, received the Distinguished Service award for her...

SAN DIEGO - ResMed has expanded its relationship with Brightree, with both companies agreeing to enhance the integration of ResMed's U-Sleep compliance solution within the Brightree solution and add new features from ResMed's AirView patient management system. The first of these enhancements is salted to introduced in November. Brightree and ResMed began working together in 2013 to automate the onboarding of patients that use ResMed S9 PAP devices into U-Sleep.

HOUSTON- Angel Mirabal, of Miami, was arrested Sept. 26 on charges of scheming to defraud Medicare. From April 2013 to July 2013, Mirabal allegedly conspired to bill Medicare $24 million in fraudulent claims for reimbursement through Quick Solutions Medical Supplies. According to the indictment said Mirabal and his co-conspirators used fraudulent shell companies to launder and disburse the proceeds from the health care fraud scheme.

ATLANTA - “Know the rules!” They seem pretty straightforward words to live by, but when it comes to DME that's often a lot easier said than done. At Medtrade, in a session entitled, “Medicare Rules and Regulations: Making Them Work for You,” Kelly Grahovac, a senior consultant with The van Halem Group, will provide insights into the rules providers need to know. “I want people to walk away feeling empowered and confident in what they're doing, which they will do if they...

ALEXANDRIA, Va. - Pharmacists from around the world will take part in a tweet-a-thon Oct. 2. The second annual event will allow pharmacists to highlight the positive impact pharmacist have on patients, communities and the healthcare system, according to a release from the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA). Last year m ore than 7,100 tweets with the hashtag #Pharmacist were sent. “From preventing potentially adverse reactions, to teaching newly diagnosed diabetic patients how...

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - To fulfill its mission of treating the families of its clients like family, Griffin Home Health Care has launched a new division, Griffin Sports, Health & Wellness. Now, when families come in to pick up Dad's new wheelchair, they can find a knee brace for an injured student and some fitness gear to help her recover.“It dawned on me that we were missing a huge chunk of your family, specifically folks that are very much interested in wellness,” said Richie Griffin,...

ATLANTA - Looking to sell your business? Is now a good time? In the HME industry, there are no easy answers. At Medtrade, in a session entitled, “The Great What If? Mergers and Acquisitions in a Fractured Market,” Patrick Clifford, managing director of The Braff Group, will explain why “buying strategies are as varied as interpretations of the latest musings from CMS, and valuations are seemingly as random as a RAC audit.”HME News: Why is the M&A market for HME so fractured...

COLUMBIA, S.C. - In November 2013, provider Dewey Roof nobly set out to find “a new image that casts us as more than a provider of commodities.”Finding and securing new relationships has been one of the most formidable challenges for the still fledgling enterprise, called LifeHME. But after nearly a year of searching for partners, Roof says key pieces are falling into place.“One of the main questions we've asked over that time is, 'Who is the payer?'” he said. “For the...

ATLANTA - Many HME providers want to diversify their product lines, but it's no secret that many aren't quite sure how best to go about doing it. At Medtrade, in a session entitled, “Adding a Product Line to Your Existing Business,” Anna McDevitt, president of Laboratory Marketing, explains why, because there's such a wide range of products in the market, providers need to focus their efforts.HME News: We hear a lot of talk about diversification. Is this something providers are thinking...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Hoveround has a new ISO certification that puts it in line with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's good manufacturer practices (GMP) and paves the way for the company to be able to sell products overseas.Hoveround has had International Standard for Organization (ISO) 9001 certification since 1997, said CEO Tom Kruse. Adding ISO 13485 certification “takes us to another level,” he said.“The 13485 is really pretty amazing as it is completely aligned with the FDA's...