Tag: HME NewsPoll

YARMOUTH, Maine – No matter what CMS does going forward with its competitive bidding program, it’s no surprise that the respondents to a recent HME Newspoll feel the program is unsalvageable.  As part of the announcement in May of a temporary gap in the program, CMS stated it plans to “implement necessary changes” to the program to establish sustainable prices and create savings for Medicare beneficiaries and taxpayers.  “The bid program should...

YARMOUTH, Maine – HME companies are leaning on remote staffing solutions to help fill vacancies and reduce expenses, according to the results of a recent HME Newspoll.  A large majority of respondents to the poll (85%) cited those two reasons as the key drivers for outsourcing certain operations.  “We have found that using remote staffing is extremely beneficial and affordable,” said Mike Tracey of Aspirus Home Medical Equipment in Wausau, Wis. “Currently,...

YARMOUTH, Maine – As far as HME Newspolls go, this one was a dud.  There. We said it.  Since we were working on our January issue at the time, we thought it would be interesting to have providers share what they believed to be their biggest business opportunity and biggest challenge, as they headed into 2023.  It’s hard to say whether providers are too busy to think about 2023 just yet (a mistake) or are simply tired of answering surveys and polls (understandable).  However,...

It seems all any of us in the HME industry can talk about these days is in-person events (We are, after all, at the time of this writing, still waiting for the DMEPOS final rule; otherwise, that might be the dominant talking point). Will in-person events happen? Will people go to them? Certainly by July, the time of the industry’s first planned in-person event – Medtrade West, July 12-14 at the Phoenix Convention Center – all those who want to be vaccinated will be vaccinated,...

YARMOUTH, Maine – More than a year into the COVID-19 pandemic, HME providers, like many businesses, have adapted to new ways of doing business and many of those changes will become permanent, say respondents to a recent HME Newspoll.  Nearly three-quarters of respondents say they plan to make certain changes permanent, including offering drop-shipping or curbside pick-up of equipment.  “In the past, we would do curbside if a customer asked,”...

YARMOUTH, Maine – Eighty-six percent of respondents to a recent HME Newspoll say they’re running low on oxygen concentrators, and 88% say they're having difficulty obtaining more.  “Hospitals are full and discharging (COVID-19) patients to complete their recovery with home oxygen therapy,” wrote one respondent. “We are struggling to keep up with the supply and demand due to long delays in shipping of ordered products.”  The...

YARMOUTH, Maine - The majority of non-contract suppliers who responded to a recent HME Newspoll (60%) say they won't try to pick up Medicare business starting Jan. 1, 2019. In a recent proposed rule, CMS outlined its plans to implement an “any willing provider” provision when the current competitive bidding contracts expire, allowing any Medicare-enrolled provider to serve beneficiaries while it overhauls the program. “I will choose to not service Medicare patients because...

YARMOUTH, Maine - Managed care organizations targeting single-source or preferred provider contracts to provide DME and supplies for Medicaid recipients is a trend that's spreading across the country, according to the results of a recent HME Newspoll.Fifty percent of respondents to the poll report that an MCO in their state has successfully implemented such a contract, and 61% report an MCO in their state is in the process of moving to such a contract.“Providers were not involved or asked...

YARMOUTH, Maine - A whopping 65% of respondents to a recent HME Newspoll say they can sustain their businesses for less than a year, if they don't get reimbursement relief. Thirty-six percent of respondents say they can sustain their businesses for up to six months, and 29% say they can sustain their businesses for six to 12 months. “I have laid off long-time employees and cut benefits like health care, but there is no way to make up for 50%-plus cuts in Medicare,” wrote Don...

Well, Theresa and Tracy, we had a good run. Before now, we've been basking in the glow of having three recent HME Newspolls with more than 100 respondents. In the August issue, our readers had plenty to say about whether or not they've stopped taking assignment on certain products this year (148 respondents); in the September issue, they had plenty to say about how Medicare pricing has impacted Medicaid and third-party payer pricing in their states (114 respondents); and in the October issue, they...