Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/45026
Rx and Specialty HME NEWS / NOVEMBER 2011 / WWW.HMENEWS.COM AASM draft worries providers CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 "The idea is to move sleep med- icine from being just diagnostic to more management and outcomes- based," said Dr. Nancy Collop, AASM president. "It hopefully improves patient care and puts the sleep physician at the controls in getting the patient through the process." AAHomecare cries foul BALTIMORE – Changes to the local coverage determination (LCD) for negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) that went into effect Oct. 1 should have been subject to public comment, said AAHomecare in a Sept. 30 letter to the four DME MAC medical directors. The new LCD calls for signifi- cant changes to physician or- ders and documentation, nar- rows the definition of NPWT, and restricts HME providers from providing additional sup- plies. In its letter, AAHomec- are asks, among other things, for the medical directors to clarify the NPWT definition and allow for delivery of ad- ditional supplies when it medically necessary. HME is ACHIEVE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 33 totally dependent upon other peo- ple's products." The other products in the Diachieve line: A menthol foot cream to treat neuropathy; a skin and body cream; a 5-gram glucose tablet; and an Omega-3 supple- ment. For all of the products, ADW partnered with outside profes- sionals to develop and bring them to market, said Edelson. Still, the provider was involved in every step of the process, he said. "We wanted to control our own destiny," he said. "That's why we put the time and the resources into developing Diachieve." Thinking outside the box is nothing new for the eight-year-old company, which got its start offer- ing lower-cost supplies for the un- and underinsured. ADW, which offers products ranging from lan- cets to insulin pumps, now has about 200,000 customers. The new product line has also allowed ADW to tap into a new market: people at risk of develop- ing Type 2 diabetes. "More and more people are con- cerned (about their health)," said Edelson. "Their sugars are rising; they are pre-diabetic. They say, 'Maybe I better do something, and try something natural.'" HME Under the AASM plan, partici- pating sleep centers would need to receive AASM accreditation for sleep centers, DME programs and out-of-center sleep testing; partner with a dental sleep medicine pro- fessional experienced in oral appli- ance therapy; partner with a sur- geon experienced in upper airway surgery to treat OSA; have a track- ing mechanism to record patient follow-up and outcomes; and have a compliance program to prevent fraud and abuse. Many commercial insurers already allow sleep labs to bill for both the sleep test and the CPAP equipment—something Medicare rules prohibit. To date, that's been an advantage for HME providers who currently tread a thin line between competing with labs and getting referrals from them. "There's been this one segment isolated from the lab being a total competitor and that's Medicare," said one provider. "This would be a decrease in the number of refer- rals to us." Collop emphasized that the pro- posal is still in its early stages and said there may be room for future partnerships with HME providers. Providers 35 If HME providers don't want to get shut out of the CPAP business, they need to do a better job as an industry of proving their value to other healthcare providers, says provider Lisa Feierstein. "We understand the complexity and the needs around patient care in the continuum," said Feierstein, founder of Raleigh, N.C.-based Active Healthcare. "HME provid- ers understand that it's more than a piece of equipment." HME Meters, meters, everywhere but no support in sight…until now CALL US TODAY to learn how we can specialize a program to help you gain and retain customers and increase your margins. 1.800.848.0614 www.glucocardusa.com Affordably priced meter system • Proven accuracy1 • Ongoing customized support • Specialized programs to help you grow and retain business 1. Data on fi le Low Cost Highly Accurate Easy to Use Members of www.glucocardusa.com ARKRAY USA, Inc. Minneapolis, MN 55439 www.arkrayusa.com Nov. 2011 Retain your customers with our Patient Wellness Program • Starter Kit • Logbook • Smart Servings Guide • Delicious recipes