Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/50323
22 Mobility 'We want to show people with mobility problems that we have solutions' BY ELIZABETH DEPREY, Associate Editor SARASOTA, Fla. – For the first time in the company's history, Hoveround has created an infomercial to showcase its power wheelchairs. "We've tried to tell our story over the last 20 years in 60-sec- ond commercials," said Hover- ound CEO Tom Kruse. "We've never been able to tell the story— not only of who we are and what we do, but the effects and the out- comes of our hard work. (This) is really the only venue to do that." The 28.5-minute infomercial features Kruse traveling around the country to speak with four people about how using a Hov- eround power wheelchair has WWW.HMENEWS.COM / JANUARY 2012 / HME NEWS Hoveround moves beyond commercials changed their lives. Those testimonials are inter- spersed with product information and what Kruse describes as "calls to action." "You have to try to get people that have a need to call you—if you don't have those calls to action, it WEBCAST doesn't work," said Kruse. Kruse said he wanted to make sure that the commercial explains what is needed to obtain pay- ment from CMS or commercial payers, including a face-to-face examination from a doctor and proof that no other home medi- cal equipment could provide the user with mobility in the home. "It's not, 'If you want a chair then someone will buy it for you,'" Kruse said. "Only about 8% of the people who call us qualify. But when the right peo- ple are getting these chairs, the efficacy of that benefit is second to none." Rick Perrotta, president of Net- work Medical Supply, a power wheelchair provider in Charlotte, N.C., said the infomercial is "well done" and its depiction of what powered mobility devices can do for people is "very accurate." "It was a nice piece," he said. "He's smart in selling the lifestyle message." Attention Providers in Round 2 CBAs: We've got answers! Insights from hospital discharge planners: Build your bidding strategy on statistics Find out how to redefine your relationships with hospital discharge planners in this new era of health care. Our exclusive research shows: • Competitive bidding has made the referral process more difficult for hospital discharge planners. Learn what can you do to make the process smoother. • Planners prefer to send referrals to one provider with contracts in multiple product categories. Consider bidding in as many product categories as possible. • Planners send referrals to contract providers outside their area. Look into bidding outside your area. • And much, much more! Attend this webcast to build your bidding strategy on facts, not hunches. HMENews.com/webcasts Live Event: Thurs, Jan. 19 12 pm EST JOIN US $ SIGN UP NOW 99 Presenter: Michael Sperduti Business Growth Expert, Emerge Sales Moderator: Liz Beaulieu Editor, HME News The infomercial is slated for nationwide release in January. It can also be watched on Hover- ound's website. HME PROVIDERS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 21 of Fort Worth, Texas-based Medi- well. "We're in a very intense audit situation now and the rules keep changing. It's really frustrat- ing, so I think this could poten- tially be a very positive thing for the industry—knowing upfront whether you're going to get paid." Franklin Trammell, president of Matthews, N.C.-based Caro- linas Home Medical Equipment, is more cautious about providers' prospects under the demo. If it's implemented the way some audits are now, it could force him out of the PMD busi- ness, he said. "If they're looking for fraud and abuse that's one thing, but if they're looking just to be picky, that's totally different," said Tram- mell. "It could be ugly. Hopefully it won't be." Some providers may not feel the effects of the demo as strong- ly as others. Provider Jene Sego said, as a contract supplier in a competitive bidding area, many of his claims come under prepay review already. His advice: Don't put out a wheelchair without having all your ducks in a row. "We make sure every bit of doc- umentation is very strong and it's all in our hands before any kind of PMD leaves our facility," said Sego, president of Titusville, Fla-based Sego's Home Medical Equipment. HME