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Oxygen Therapy & Sleep Policy
June 4, 2018
Categories: Oxygen Therapy, Sleep Policy
Rural Relief from unsustainable Home Oxygen Therapy Rates Join home oxygen therapy rural relief efforts by visiting the Action Center to send a message to elected officials requesting co-sponsorship of HR 4229, Protecting HOME Access Act. Issue Brief: Rural O2 Access Congressional Directory Background In addition to the drastic rate reductions for home oxygen therapy under the Competitive Bidding program, suppliers of this life sustaining, legend drug in rural and non-bid...
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THE SUSTAINABLE ALTERNATIVE TO MEDICARE'S BIDDING PROGRAM.
December 6, 2017
Categories: Market Pricing Program
UPDATE: Thank you to Congressmen Thompson and Braley and the 81 members of Congress who cosigned the letter asking CMS Administrator Tavenner to stop the expansion of the Medicare bidding program. The letter received tremendous Congressional support and sent a strong message to Administrator Tavenner. Both providers and patients need to speak up and tell their Representatives in Congress that they need to ACT NOW to start repairing the damage that Medicare's badly...
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CONGRESS MUST CONDUCT OVERSIGHT OF MEDICARE AUDITORS
December 6, 2017
Categories: Audits
The Medicare audit process and coverage criteria do not work properly. They must be modified in order to reduce their negative impact on home medical equipment providers’ operational and financial resources, and consequently, their ability to continue caring for patients. AAHomecare is concerned that the audit standards used by Medicare contractors are having the following unintended consequences: Eligible Medicare beneficiaries are not receiving medically necessary and covered...
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CMS Announces Long-Term Relief on CRT Accessories
June 26, 2017
Categories: Blog
Policy Change Marks an Important Win for CRT Providers and Patients Who Depend on Highly Specialized Mobility Products The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced that accessories for group 3 power Complex Rehab Technology (CRT) mobility products will continue to remain exempt from the application of competitive bidding derived pricing for Medicare beneficiaries. Congress has twice passed legislation delaying the application of bidding derived pricing, including a six-month...
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Drive DeVilbiss Steps Up Its Support for HME Sector
June 13, 2017
Categories: Press Releases
PLATINUM LEVEL SPONSORSHIP OF AAHOMECARE IS AN INVESTMENT THAT BENEFITS SUPPLIERS NATIONWIDE TUE, JUNE 13, 2017 WASHINGTON, DC Drive DeVilbiss Healthcare is taking on an expanded leadership role in the home medical equipment (HME) sector by becoming the only HME manufacturer supporting the American Association for Homecare (AAHomecare) as a Platinum-level partner, the highest sponsorship category for the Association. “We’re proud that we can increase our support for AAHomecare’s...
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Reimbursement Cuts to NY Medicaid Incontinence Supplies
February 23, 2017
Categories: Blog
One Month Delay in Effect While Further Review Takes Place Last June, The New York State Department of Health (NYS DOH) announced an ‘Incontinence Supply Management Program’ for all Medicaid beneficiaries that would implement minimum quality standards for incontinence products to take effect on September 1, 2016. In addition to the quality standards, NY DOH also awarded a preferred vendor contract to TwinMed, LLC for incontinence products to be purchased by Medicaid providers....
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AAHomecare Calls on TRICARE to Implement CURES-Mandated Reimbursement Adjustments
January 30, 2017
Categories: Press Releases
The American Association for Homecare (AAHomecare) is calling on the contractors administering TRICARE military health plans nationwide to reprocess claims for home medical equipment for the last six months of 2016 on account of provisions in recent healthcare legislation affecting Medicare reimbursement rates. Last year’s CURES Act required the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to retroactively adjust payments for home medical equipment to rates in effect before July 1. ...
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Medicare Open Enrollment Tips for HME Providers
November 10, 2016
Categories: Blog
The Medicare open enrollment period began on October 15, 2016 and runs through December 7, 2016. It’s important to know how these plan changes will impact your patients and your company. Even though the enrollment period runs through December 7, it may take longer for many plans to update their systems. Determining Plans Available in your Service Area Many insurance plans may add products or eliminate products they previously offered. There may even be new...
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New Study Shows Home Medical Equipment Bidding Program Unsustainable
October 19, 2016
Categories: Press Releases
MEDICARE REIMBURSEMENT RATES LESS THAN OVERALL COSTS FOR HOME MEDICAL EQUIPMENT PROVIDERS, PUTTING SENIORS AND INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES AT RISK WED, OCTOBER 19, 2016 WASHINGTON, DC A study released today by the American Association for Homecare (AAHomecare) shows that Medicare reimbursement rates for home medical equipment cover just 88% of overall costs for companies providing this service. The study, Analysis of the Cost of Providing Durable Medical Equipment to the Medicare...
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New OIG Report Raises More Questions About Competitive Bidding
May 31, 2016
Categories: Blog
The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) for the Department of Health & Human Services released a report that raises more concerns about the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) ill-conceived competitive bidding program for home medical equipment. Looking at contract suppliers in Round 2 of the bidding program identified in complaints from the supplier community and congressional inquiries, the OIG focused on 146 unique contract suppliers that may not have...
