North Carolina's ‘Out-of-State Licensure Bill’ Signed Into Law: House Bill 437, placing out of state providers under the same regulations as in-state providers, was signed into law by North Carolina Gov. Mike Easley in August, reports Beth Bowen, executive director of the Cary, N.C.-based North Carolina Association for Medical Equipment Services. The bill was passed unanimously in the North Carolina House in June 2001.

“All providers have a little playing field now, whether they happen to have their businesses in the state of North Carolina or they're doing business in North Carolina,” said Bowen. “It shouldn't matter where a business is located; it just matters that they're doing business in our state, and we expect them to abide by the same rules across the board.”

North Carolina's state licensure bill took effect in 1995.

For more information on House Bill 437, visit the NCAMES Web site: www.ncames.org.

In other NCAMES news, the association honored Bowen for 10 years of service at its summer meeting.

Wilcox to Serve as New President of NEMED: The New England Medical Equipment Dealers Association welcomed newly elected officers at the annual meeting in June. New president is Richard Wilcox of Wilcox Pharmacy/Option Care, Rutland, Vt. He replaces Paul Bergantino of Newington, Ct.-based Connecticut Rehab & Medical Products, who stepped down after three years of service.

PAMES Announces 2001-2002 Board of Directors: The Pacific Association for Medical Equipment Services announced its 2001-2002 board of directors at its annual meeting in June. The new officers include: Jack Hopkins, president, Northwest Medical, Portland, Ore.; Allen Clark, president-elect, Performance Modalities, Kent, Wash.; Jan Wallace, secretary/treasurer, Providence Home Services, Lacey, Wash.; Carlos Reyes, immediate past president, Lincare, Spokane, Wash.

Missouri Now a ‘Prompt Pay’ State: Missouri's prompt pay initiative was signed into law by the governor in July and became effective Aug. 28. It outlines strict penalties for health care claims that are not paid within 40 days.

According to the Midwest Association for Medical Equipment Services, the new penalty will be a daily charge of 50 percent of the cost of the claims or $20 per day, whichever is less.

For further information, visit the MAMES home page: www.mames.com.

In other Missouri news, a small state health care project has become a national initiative. In what Anne Dillon, projects manager for the Missouri Alliance for Home Care, calls “a milestone,” the MAHC is working nationwide to survey and control infection in the home.

“As health care moves home, so do infections,” said Mary Schantz, executive director of the alliance.

The MAHC and the Center for Disease Control have enlisted home health agencies in 25 states to implement the Infection Surveillance Project, tracking bladder and central venous catheter infections in the home. In 1993, the MAHC established an Outcomes Committee, composed of nurses responsible for infection control in their agencies, and began to determine objectives for the project.

“The ISP has exploded since 1993 from a small, Missouri-based project to a national initiative,” said Schantz.

The CDC and MAHC distributed a survey on infections in the home in January 1999 to all Medicare-certified home health agencies in Missouri. Last year, the CDC, MAHC and Missouri Department of Health conducted a study to determine the number and types of infections in Missouri homes. CDC will release the results from the second study this fall.

The next venture for the Infection Surveillance Project is a joint effort between the MAHC, the CDC and the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology to publish what Schantz calls a “ready reference” handbook that will include APIC home care infection definitions, recommended literature on infection and a simple guide to dealing with infection in the home.

For more information, contact the MAHC at 573/634-7772 or online at www.homecaremissouri.org