Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/59015
s Billing consultant Sarah Hanna will give a Medtrade Spring session on Medicare's top 10 denials. See page 37. s Product Focus: This month, we asked manufacturers to submit wound care and incontinence products like this PressureGuard support surface from Span-America. See page 42. HME NEWS POLL s The majority of HME providers say they have identifi ed and returned overpayments to Medicare. Do you have a system in place to help you catch overpayments? See results on page 50. VOLUME 18 — NUMBER 4 APRIL 2012 $7.00 THE BUSINESS NEWSP APER FOR HOME MEDICAL EQUIPMENT PRO VIDERS NEWS s Stakeholders switch gears. PAGE 4 s Appeals bottleneck at the ALJ level. PAGE 8 s Ty Bello hearts HME. PAGE 13 SMART TALK s This month, our columnists tackle total compensation, the ICD-10 conversion, hiring an accountant and online marketing. PAGES 16-17 COMMENTARY s The old adage of "garbage in, garbage out" applies to the HME billing intake process just as it would with any other industry, says MedAct Software's Gregg Timmons. Training personnel and integrating the right technology is essential. PAGE 15 DEPARTMENTS PROVIDERS s Home Health Depot "not standing still." PAGE 19 s What's the big deal? PAGE 19 s Mike Kuller sells to Lincare. PAGE 20 MOBILITY s CMS: Demo should slow down audits. PAGE 23 s Martin Szmal strikes out. PAGE 24 s Reporter's notebook: Wheelchair safety. PAGE 26 RX & SPECIALTY PROVIDERS s CPAP audits overreach. PAGE 29 s Provider creates one-stop shop for pediatrics. PAGE 29 s Former NCPA exec launches network. PAGE 30 VENDORS s Roscoe targets TENS. PAGE 45 s Craftmatic courts providers. PAGE 45 s U-Sleep simplifi es compliance. PAGE 45 WWW.HMENEWS.COM Program shakes up diabetes market COMPETITIVE BIDDING BY THERESA FLAHERTY, Managing Editor W ITH BIDDING for national mail order contracts for diabetes supplies underway, expect to see further consolidation in the market, as big players look to get bigger, say industry analysts. "It's all about scale and that's what buyers are looking for," said Jonathan Sadock, partner and CEO of Philadelphia-based Paragon Ventures. Most recently, Arriva Medi- Bennies get wake-up call BY ELIZABETH DEPREY, Associate Editor PHILADELPHIA – Medicare benefi - ciaries in Philadelphia, a Round 2 competitive bidding area, have no idea what's coming their way, industry stakeholders say. As part of a Town Hall Tele- conference hosted by People for NRRTS backpedals on new standards Registrants complain they would mean putting in more time, effort and money into maintaining CRTS credential BY ELIZABETH DEPREY, Associate Editor WALSENBURG, Colo. Registrants like Corey Clonts – NRRTS released new standards for its Certifi ed Rehabili- tation Technology Supplier (CRTS) credential in early February, but after a backlash from registrants, it's holding off from imp l ement ing them. S. Margolis In addition to existing stan- dards, NRRTS wanted registrants to earn points through, among other things, volunteering, out- reach and advocacy to promote complex rehab. don't support the new standards because they would mean putting in more time, effort and money into maintaining a CRTS cre- dential. That's a big deal for Clonts, who is the only assistive technology professional (ATP) at LTC Providers, which serves a large rural area in Missouri. "We're barely surviving as it is, and (they want us) to fork over more money to send you further from work with no one to back up while you're gone?" said Clonts, operations manager. Initially, NRRTS wanted to implement the new standards January 2013. STANDARDS SEE PAGE 48 Also on FDA's list: GF, Merits Health BY LIZ BEAULIEU, Editor YARMOUTH, Maine – It looks like the U.S. Food and Drug Administra- tion (FDA) has its eyes on more than just Invacare. The FDA sent warning let- ters to GF Health Products/d.b.a Basic American Metal Products and Merits Health Products in December and November, respec- tively. In the case of GF, the letter was the culmination of an inves- tigation at its bed manufacturing facility in Fond du Lac, Wis., from Aug. 29 to Sept. 23. "There's no question there's FDA SEE PAGE 48 Quality Care (PFQC) in Feb- ruary, The VGM Group's John Gallagher polled listeners and found that 100% did not know about competitive bidding and 95% did not believe the gov- ernment should choose their healthcare provider. That's not a WAKE-UP SEE PAGE 48 cal acquired Sunrise, Fla.-based Direct Diabetic Source for $5 mil- lion in January. It acquired Nash- ville, Tenn.-based AmMed Direct in February. Analysts believe Arriva Medical has set its sights on becoming the dominant player in the diabetes testing marketplace. "With significant capital resources behind them, Arriva could become one of—if not DIABETES SEE PAGE 48 DOCUMENT SEIZURES typically happen when, during an investigation, the govern- ment is con- cerned that fi les could get lost, destroyed or altered, says a source. Gov't offi cials raid Pacifi c Pulmonary BY THERESA FLAHERTY, Managing Editor NOVATO, Calif. – FBI agents raided several California offi ces of Pacifi c Pulmonary Services on Feb. 28 and so far, the bureau and the com- pany aren't saying much about why. "Pacifi c Pulmonary Services is cooperating fully with govern- ment agencies after being served a document request," the company stated in release to HME News. "We are not aware of the government's FBI RAID SEE PAGE 20 PHOTO CREDIT: KGET NEWS