Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/59015
HME NEWS / APRIL 2012 / WWW.HMENEWS.COM Illinois Ty Bello: 'I love this industry' W BY ELIZABETH DEPREY, Associate Editor ELL-KNOWN INDUSTRY consultant Ty Bello has comfortably stepped into his new role as executive director of the Illinois Association for Medi- cal Equipment Services (IAMES). He started last fall and has spent his first few months on the job reaching out to association members. Bello, who will also continue as president of Team@Work, recently told HME News about his goals for his new position. HME NEWS: Why did you want to take on this new role? Ty Bello: This was a really great opportunity to consider, and I did. I've seen some excel- lent executive directors and excellent state associations, and I had a real longing to serve that state because I love this industry. After 21 years, it's part of me. HME: Does your previous experience help in your role as executive director? Bello: I feel like a few things have comple- mented my role. I've been in the role of a pro- vider for 15 years, and for the past 11 years, I've been serving providers all across the Unit- ed States. I've seen how their state associations have served them and, in other cases, have not served them. My goal is to take best practices from some of the best executive directors in the world and apply them in Illinois. HME: What are some of your goals? Bello: The No. 1 goal for me is to really serve the state members to the best of my ability, especially in the competitive bid environment that we're in now—to be yet another resource that they can use to understand both national issues like competitive bidding and legislative factors that are applying to the state of Illinois. HME: Do you hope to grow IAMES's member- ship? Bello: All the state associations are seeing some level of increase and I think there's more that can be done to get those state levels to increase. If you're not a member of your state association, why not? You should be. HME: What is the No. 1 issue for members? Bello: Competitive bidding. It hasn't been in the state before, so we're seeing a growing emphasis by the providers to educate them- selves on what Round 1 was like and how it impacted those people that won or lost the bid and, therefore, what Round 2 could be like. HME News Health outcomes 'stable' in bid areas, CMS states WASHINGTON – CMS reiterated its stance in February that competitive bidding has not changed health outcomes for Medicare beneficiaries. The agency on Feb. 15 released its health status monitoring summary of find- ings through October 2011. "Consistent with prior analyses, we find that beneficiary health outcomes are stable in competitive bidding areas," CMS stated in a press release. The agency has been conducting health status monitoring on a monthly basis since the program kicked off in January 2011. As part of its October findings, CMS has also released a broad-view analysis that compares the impact of competitive bid- ding on the general Medicare population, as well as beneficiaries likely to use bid equip- ment based on their health conditions. For these groups, it compares rates of health outcomes (such as length of hospital stays and number of ER visits) in the bid areas to rates in regions without bidding. "The new analysis enables an easier comparison between subpopulations and between areas with competitive bidding and without competitive bidding," CMS stated. The agency noted that mortality and morbidity rates commonly display sea- sonal trends that are unrelated to com- petitive bidding, and that the rates that appear more variable tend to be based on a smaller number of beneficiaries. CMS released its summary as HME stakeholders were in Washington, D.C., to lobby lawmakers to support an alternative to competitive bidding called the market- pricing program (See related story, page 4). One reason stakeholders are telling law- makers competitive bidding needs to be retooled: A report by Prof. Peter Cramton that details negative health outcomes in bid areas as a result of the program. HME 13 "Finally, compression your patients can wear!" ith reasons ranging from limited mobility or dexterity to complaints about overall general comfort, many individuals struggle with donning or wanting to wear their compression garments every day. Core-Spun by Therafirm® gradient compression socks, ession socks, a patented innovation by Therafirm®, are made with the unique technology of Core-Spun yarns for an ultra stretchy compression sock that is easier to put on and exceptionally comfortable. "SUPPER-STRETCHY" YARNS FOR A SUPPORT SOCK THAT IS EASIER TO PUT ON AND MORE COMFORTABLE TO WEAR. IMPROVE PATIENT COMPLIANCE TRUE GRADIENT COMPRESSION AFFORDABLE FOR PATIENTS For more information or a Professional Trial Sample contact: ° 800.821.3094 ° info@therafirm.com ° therafirm.com MEDTRADE BOOTH 461 MEDTRADE BOOTH 1363