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Facts & Figures

The perfect wave, the Holy Grail … and good statistics on the home medical equipment industry tempt the true adventurer. These elusive treasures beckon from beyond the laws of science — and they exist only in the imaginations of the few.

In the case of the HME industry, those few are the men and women who build small, thriving businesses in hometowns across the country. They don't make headlines, but they do make a living. And, in the process, they improve people's quality of life.

Without the time or money to interview every HME provider from Hoboken to Honolulu, most market researchers simply give up. Only a handful of firms — out of the hundreds that track general health care trends — are brave enough to tackle the HME industry. Those that do track this industry say traditional rules do not apply.

Knowing this, HomeCare has compiled statistics from many sources, so that our readers, the only true experts, can make sense of it all.

Size of the HME Industry: An Estimate

If $6 billion*= 42% of HME providers' revenue**, then the HME industry generates approximately $14.29 billion annually.

*Total amount that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services spent on durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics and supplies in 1999.

**According to the American Association for Homecare's “2001 AAHomecare Financial Survey Report,” published in August 2001. Reprinted by permission of AAHomecare. This report is based on fiscal year 2000 information provided by 100 firms of varying sizes and product lines, and does not represent industry-wide statistics. Visit www.aahomecare.org for more details.

United States Home Care Product Market, by Product Category, 2000 and 2006
Product Category U.S. 2000 Revenue
(in millions)
U.S. 2006 Revenue
(in millions)
Infusion equipment $951.71 $1,635.11
Incontinence products $845.06 $1,371.80
Respiratory care $712.57 $1,092.60
Wheelchairs, scooters and accessories $484.07 $707.91
Standing aids and ambulatory aids $388.45 $572.88
Ostomy products $384.73 $590.10
Beds, mattresses and support surfaces $360.09 $644.54
Wound care products $357.10 $493.77
Blood pressure measurement and monitoring $155.28 $216.30
Rehabilitation chairs and accessories $148.72 $220.57
Total $4,787.78 $7,545.58
Source: Global Industry Analysts, “Home Care Products,” March 2002
National Expenditures in 2001 for the Top 30 HME Medicare Codes
Code Description Allowed Charges Allowed Reimbursement* Percentage of Total HME Expenditures**
E1390 oxygen concentrator $1,473,388,872 $1,178,711,097 24.6%
A4253 test strips $551,520,998 $441,216,798 9.2%
K0011 power wheelchair $435,607,303 $348,485,842 7.3%
J7644 ipratropium bromide $419,488,507 $335,590,805 7.0%
J7619 albuterol $315,620,339 $252,496,271 5.3%
E0260 hospital bed $264,308,330 $211,446,664 4.4%
E0431 portable gaseous oxygen $173,524,263 $138,819,410 2.9%
B4035 enteral feeding kit $168,684,555 $134,947,644 2.8%
B4150 enteral formula I $165,757,940 $132,606,352 2.8%
E0277 powered mattress $109,097,943 $87,278,354 1.8%
E0439 stationary liquid oxygen $107,324,904 $85,859,923 1.8%
K0001 manual wheelchair $92,031,687 $73,625,350 1.5%
K0533 respiratory assist devices $78,436,049 $62,748,839 1.3%
K0004 lightweight wheelchair $74,225,425 $59,380,340 1.2%
E0601 CPAP $61,512,229 $49,209,783 1.0%
A4259 lancets $57,986,452 $46,389,162 1.0%
L5300 below knee prosthetic $57,177,293 $45,741,834 1.0%
B4154 enteral formula IV $56,725,766 $45,380,613 0.9%
E0570 nebulizer $54,621,582 $43,697,266 0.9%
E0143 folding walker $51,707,872 $41,366,298 0.9%
K0003 lightweight wheelchair $41,939,259 $33,551,407 0.7%
A5502 diabetic shoe insert $38,052,891 $30,442,313 0.6%
E0163 commode chair $37,389,615 $29,911,692 0.6%
L8030 silicone breast prosthesis $33,751,599 $27,001,279 0.6%
L5667 socket insert with mechanism $33,308,121 $26,646,497 0.6%
A5500 depth-inlay diabetic shoe $31,101,788 $24,881,430 0.5%
E0450 ventilator $30,070,193 $24,056,154 0.5%
B4197 parenteral solution $28,367,329 $22,693,863 0.5%
A5123 skin barrier (ostomy/urological) $27,116,572 $21,693,258 0.5%
V2203 spectacle lens $27,114,330 $21,691,464 0.5%
*Reimbursement estimated as 80% of allowed charges
**Percentage of total HME expenditures based on 1999 data
Source: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
  • In 1999, Medicare spent a total of $6 billion on durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics and supplies.

  • As of March 2002, there were 41,551,497 U.S. citizens eligible to receive Medicare benefits.*

*The U.S. Social Security Administration provides these numbers to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Source: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

Medicare + Choice Program: Market Penetration By State, March 2002
State Eligible Citizens* M+C Enrollees M+C Market Penetration
Alabama 723,863 49,425 6.8%
Alaska 46,988 150 0.3%
Arizona 725,523 221,180 30.5%
California 4,125,240 1,434,992 34.8%
Colorado 496,116 139,589 28.1%
Connecticut 530,412 32,715 6.2%
Delaware 118,894 950 0.8%
District of Columbia 77,779 4,721 6.1%
Florida 2,944,997 589,770 20.0%
Georgia 977,575 37,292 3.8%
Hawaii 176,345 58,435 33.1%
Idaho 176,528 15,359 8.7%
Illinois 1,694,153 106,802 6.3%
Indiana 887,871 24,136 2.7%
Iowa 491,492 16,163 3.3%
Kansas 401,447 23,143 5.8%
Kentucky 655,855 20,342 3.1%
Louisiana 633,740 79,295 12.5%
Maine 227,452 190 0.08%
Maryland 678,256 20,395 3.0%
Massachusetts 991,467 216,213 21.8%
Michigan 1,464,743 37,415 2.6%
Minnesota 683,530 84,735 12.4%
Mississippi 435,740 2,541 0.6%
Missouri 897,936 125,599 14.0%
Montana 143,861 260 0.2%
Nebraska 262,169 9,892 3.8%
Nevada 266,974 82,366 30.9%
New Hampshire 179,353 1,500 0.8%
New Jersey 1,243,709 110,277 8.9%
New Mexico 249,659 36,370 14.6%
New York 2,814,074 464,777 16.5%
North Carolina 1,204,062 49,566 4.1%
North Dakota 105,614 756 0.7%
Ohio 1,760,288 243,835 13.9%
Oklahoma 528,008 44,956 8.5%
Oregon 515,770 170,114 33.0%
Pennsylvania 2,150,393 500,022 23.3%
Rhode Island 176,215 57,479 32.6%
South Carolina 606,287 943 0.2%
South Dakota 123,629 1,348 1.1%
Tennessee 879,135 45,848 5.2%
Texas 2,395,093 195,454 8.2%
Utah 219,821 7,084 3.2%
Vermont 93,554 54 0.06%
Virginia 943,776 17,993 1.9%
Washington 777,791 134,901 17.3%
West Virginia 352,072 24,444 6.9%
Wisconsin 816,095 23,609 2.9%
Wyoming 69,118 1,299 1.9%
*The U.S. Social Security Administration Provides these numbers to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Servises.
Source: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services
Top 10 HME Medicare Categories: Percentage of Total Expenditures in 2001*
Oxygen and Oxygen Equipment 30%
Nebulizers and Inhalation Drugs 14%
Diabetic Supplies 11%
Parenteral/Enteral Nutrition 10%
Power Wheelchairs 8%
Hospital Beds and Accessories 7%
Manual Wheelchairs 4%
Respiratory Assist Devices/CPAP 3%
Decubitus Care (Mattresses and Pads) 3%
Ostomy Supplies 2%
Remaining HME Categories 8%
*Percentage of total HME expenditures based on 1999 data
Source: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
National Expenditures in 2001 for the Top 10 HME Medicare Categories*
Category Percentage of total HME Expenditures** Allowed Charges Allowed Reimbursement***
oxygen and oxygen equipment 30% $1,778,372,036 $1,422,697,629
nebulizers and inhalation drugs 14% $858,926,379 $687,141,103
diabetic supplies 11% $635,083,945 $508,067,156
parenteral/enteral nutrition 10% $576,126,425 $460,901,140
power wheelchairs 8% $455,600,244 $364,480,195
hospital beds and accessories 7% $399,147,027 $319,317,622
manual wheelchairs 4% $234,839,088 $187,871,270
respiratory assist devices/CPAP 3% $165,608,486 $132,486,789
decubitus care (mattresses and pads) 3% $163,412,775 $130,730,220
ostomy supplies 2% $110,439,398 $88,351,518
total 92% $5,377,555,803 $4,302,044,642
*Percentage of total HME expenditures based on 1999 data
**Rounded to the nearest percentage point
***Reimbursement estimated as 80% of allowed charges
Source: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
Regional Expenditures in 2001 for Top 10 HME Medicare Codes
Code Description Region A Expenditure Region B Expenditure Region C Expenditure Region D Expenditure Total
E1390 oxygen concentrator $184,173,066 $297,919,475 $508,629,474 $263,292,062 $1,254,014,077
A4253 test strips $66,088,593 $124,530,392 $199,243,370 $75,280,330 $465,142,685
K0011 power wheelchair $49,212,353 $21,615,150 $263,266,480 $64,435,789 $398,529,772
J7644 ipratropium bromide $38,421,200 $72,484,198 $195,127,281 $63,745,262 $369,777,941
J7619 albuterol $27,788,168 $54,452,748 $148,444,465 $40,437,091 $271,122,472
E0260 hospital bed $37,804,602 $40,091,770 $113,113,736 $36,611,598 $227,621,706
E0431 portable gaseous oxygen $22,026,318 $35,581,289 $59,801,066 $31,079,550 $148,488,223
B4035 enteral feeding kit $33,367,462 $29,861,190 $67,368,601 $27,067,070 $157,664,323
B4150 enteral formula I $29,043,899 $31,787,907 $55,960,048 $36,559,810 $153,351,664
E0277 powered mattress $13,080,929 $13,886,232 $47,744,895 $20,297,921 $95,009,977
Source: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
HME Providers' Sources of 2000 Revenue, by Payer Type
Medicare 42%
Medicaid 26%
Private Insurance 17%
Managed Care (regular payments) 9%
Managed Care (capitated payments) 1%
Commercial, Institutional, Open Account 2%
Retail, Private, Open Account 2%
Cash, Bank Cards 1%
Source: American Association for Homecare, “2001 AAHomecare Financial Survey Report,” August 2001*
*Reprinted by permission of the American Association for Homecare. This report is based on fiscal year 2000 information provided by 100 firms of varying sizes and product lines, and does not represent industry-wide statistics. Visit www.aahomecare.org for more details.
HME Providers' Sources of 2000 Revenue, by Product Category
Respiratory Products 53%
Home Infusion 18%
Home Medical Equipment 18%
Nursing, Therapy and Home Health Aide Services 2%
Rehabilitation and Assistive Technology Products 4%
Patient Support Disposables 3%
All Other Products 2%
Source: American Association for Homecare, “2001 AAHomecare Financial Survey Report,” August 2001*
*Reprinted by permission of the American Association for Homecare. This report is based on fiscal year 2000 information provided by 100 firms of varying sizes and product lines, and does not represent industry-wide statistics. Visit www.aahomecare.org for more details.
HME Industry's Revenue Growth, by Business Mix, 1996 to 2000
Business Segment 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000
Home Infusion1 10% 31% 15% 19% 28%
Respiratory1 16% 16% 9% 12% 11%
HME1 17% 16% 12% 6% 15%
Rehab1 N/A* N/A* N/A* N/A* 27%
Mixed-Market Firms2 10% 12% 10% 10% 13%
1 More than 50% of firms' revenue was from respiratory, home infusion, HME or nursing/therapy services.
2 No one business segment represented at least 50% of firms' total revenue.
*N/A= Not available. Data not collected in previous surveys.
Source: American Association for Homecare, “2001 AAHomecare Financial Survey Report,” August 2001*
*Reprinted by permission of the American Association for Homecare. This report is based on fiscal year 2000 information provided by 100 firms of varying sizes and product lines, and does not represent industry-wide statistics. Visit www.aahomecare.org for more details.
Public HME-Related Companies: 2001 Financial Profiles
Company Name NYSE/Nasdaq Symbol Fiscal Year-End 2001 Net Income* 1 Yr. Net Income Growth 2001 Net Revenue* 1 Yr. Net Revenue Growth No. of Employees 1 Yr. Employee Growth
Abbott Laboratories ABT December $1,550 (44.4%)** $16,285 18.5% 71,426 17.9%
Allied Healthcare AHPI June $0.2 N/A $64.9 0.9% 465 (10.9%)**
American HomePatient AHOM.OB December ($11.5)** N/A $352.6 (3.0%)** 3,600 (0.1%)**
AmerisourceBergen ABC September $125 26.4% $16,191 39.0% 13,700 270.3%
Apria Healthcare AHG December $71.9 26.1% $1,131.9 11.6% 9,696 5.7%
Cardinal Health CAH June $857 26.1% $47,948 60.5% 48,900 15.9%
CareCentric CURA December ($25.4)** N/A $20.4 (18.4%)** 199 (33.2%)**
Chad Therapeutics CTU March ($3.0)** N/A $12.2 (4.7%)** 92 26.0%
Coram Healthcare CRHEQ.OB December $1.2 (98.8%)** $393.6 (15.3%)** 2,100 (22.2%)**
Gentiva Health Services GTIV December $21.0 N/A $1,377.7 (8.6%)** 16,900 (20.7%)**
Invacare IVC December $35.2 (41.2%)** $1,053.6 4.0% 5,400 (3.6%)**
Johnson and Johnson JNJ December $5,668 18.1% $33,004 13.3% 101,800 3.4%
Lincare Holdings LNCR December $134.9 15.4% $812.4 15.6% 6,100 10.9%
Matria Healthcare MATR December $6.7 (51.1%)** $264.0 16.9% 1,864 (3.7%)**
McKesson MCK March ($48)** N/A $42,010 14.4% 23,000 9.5%
National Home Healthcare NHHC July $4.2 2.4% $74.5 34.0% 2,800 0.0%
Option Care OPTN December $10.0 33.3% $217.1 53.6% 1,662 38.3%
Pediatric Services of America PSAI September $5.5 (80.8%)** $184.1 (1.2%)** 4,760 (6.4%)**
Praxair PX December $430 18.5% $5,158 2.3% 24,271 3.6%
ResMed RMD June $11.6 (47.7%)** $155.2 34.3%<

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