John Brady and Frank Schools to lead acceleration of e-prescribing for durable medical equipment DMEscripts LLC, an industry-owned e-prescribing platform that digitally connects a national network of medical prescribers with home and durable medical equipment suppliers, today announced the addition of John Brady as Chief Executive Officer and Frank Schools as Chief Financial Officer. Brady, a 25-year veteran of the healthcare industry, including two healthcare startups, brings extensive experience...

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Action is needed from the HME community. Representatives Terri Sewell (D—AL) and Larry Bucshon (R—IN) are spearheading a Congressional letter to CMS asking the agency to streamline medical necessity documentation to protect patient access for home oxygen therapy.  This will have a large impact on the HME Industry and those we serve.    You can view the Dear Colleague letter and Congressional letter here.   Please reach out to your federal House...

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    Lake Court Joins as Corporate Partner to Help Strengthen HME Advocacy Lake Court Medical Supplies, Inc. is excited to be a Bronze Corporate Partner with AAHomecare. This partnership shows Lake Court Medical’s continued support for improved policies and common-sense reform in our industry. “For three decades we have lobbied alongside AAHomecare and other industry groups for the provider community” said Charlie Elliott, President & CEO of Lake Court...

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Strong Ventilator Coverage Provisions Advance in Louisiana On Wednesday, the Louisiana House of Representative passed HB 594, legislation to prevent insurers, MCOs, and other payers from setting reimbursement caps for ventilators. AAHomecare joined Louisiana HME stakeholders to support the legislation and helped convince key legislators to remove proposed amendments that could have capped costs for non-invasive ventilators and restricted HME suppliers’ ability to provide important service...

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Higher Product Costs and Supply Chain Bottlenecks Continue to Challenge HME  Even as vaccination rates grow and new cases of COVID-19 are slowing nationwide, HME suppliers and manufacturers remain in the grip of another side effect of the pandemic: higher product costs and increased operational expenses. HME suppliers first began seeing these impacts in early 2020, as demand for personal protective equipment (PPE) surged, with shortages and higher costs quickly following. Additional...

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Gambill Merits Promotion for Managing Broad Portfolio of Communications and Marketing Initiatives  As the  Director of Marketing and Communications for AAHomecare, Tilly Gambill will expand her role strengthening the Association’s brand and national influence through traditional and social media channels as well as developing new and creative marketing campaigns. She is managing the public relations agency overseeing the development of a PR and social campaign around the Value...

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New Oxygen Fee Schedule Starting April 1 CMS has published the April 2021 DMEPOS fee schedule with the new oxygen rates that excludes the application of budget neutrality. This new change shows 5%-11% increase in oxygen products across the country.   Budget neutrality was originally introduced in 2006 to offset the increased utilization for oxygen generating portable equipment (OPGE) with lower reimbursement for stationary equipment. In 2019 CMS expanded budget neutrality to apply to the...

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AAHomecare and NEMEP Push for Medicaid Rate Stability in New York  AAHomecare is working with the Northeast Medical Equipment Providers Association (NEMEP) to support new legislation requiring Medicaid MCOs in New York to reimburse DME providers at no less than 100% of the state’s published Medicaid DME and CRT fee schedule. A.5368 was introduced by Assembly member John McDonald III and co-sponsored by Assembly Member Richard Gottfried on February 16, 2021.  A Senate companion...

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Support Newly Introduced Medicaid Rate Stability Legislation in New York Senate & Assembly Please help build support for newly introduced bills in the New York State Legislature that would require Medicaid MCOs in New York to reimburse DME providers at no less than one hundred percent of the state’s published Medicaid DME and CRT fee schedule for the same services and supplies.  A.5368 was introduced by Assembly member John McDonald III and co-sponsored by Assembly Member Richard...

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Take the Next Step in Becoming an Advocate for Better HME Public Policy Advocacy efforts are ramping up for the 117th Congress as the AAHomecare and other leading HME stakeholders are working with our champions on Capitol Hill and key committees of jurisdictions to develop plans to address major industry priorities, including sustainable Medicare reimbursement policy. Complementing our work in the House and Senate, the Grassroots Accountability Project (GAP) is a vehicle for the HME Industry to...

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