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Respironics Tops $1 Billion Mark
Respironics reported that the booming sleep business helped boost its fourth-quarter and fiscal year profits to record levels...
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Senate HELP Committee Approves Health IT Bill
WASHINGTON--The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee unanimously approved legislation last week that would speed up the adoption of information technology in health care....
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Apria Reports Q2 Profit Drop
LAKE FOREST, Calif.--Citing Medicare reimbursement cuts for oxygen, respiratory giant Apria Healthcare announced a drop in net profits for the 2005 second quarter, ended June 30, to $22.8 million, down from $29.1 million for the same period last year. Revenues for the quarter were $374.9 million, a 4.3 percent increase over revenues of $359.6 million in the second quarter of 2004. ...
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New York Medicaid Official Defends Department
NEW YORK--After complaints of increased holdups for DME prior approval requests since the state closed its Medicaid Manhattan office late last year, New York's deputy health commissioner defended the program in a hearing last week, Newsday reported....
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MAMES Testifies to State Medicaid Commission
JEFFERSON CITY, MO.--Members of the Midwest Association for Medical Equipment Services recently testified before the Missouri Medicaid Commission to argue the need for updating DME policies to help providers, patients and save state funds....
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FAA Approves Use of Portable Oxygen Concentrators on Planes
WASHINGTON--Oxygen patients soon will be allowed to take certain portable oxygen concentrators aboard commercial aircraft, under a final rule issued by the Federal Aviation Administration last week. The new rule takes effect Aug. 11--more than a year after its proposal--but is not expected to be fully implemented until January 2006, according to the July 12 Federal Register. ...
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Leavitt Appoints Medicaid Advisory Commission Members
WASHINGTON--Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt has appointed 28 members to a committee that will advise the government on ways to slow the rapid growth of the Medicaid program. The Medicaid Advisory Commission--which was formed as a result of a 2006 budget compromise in Congress earlier this year--is made up of health policy leaders, state health department officials, public policy organizations, individuals with disabilities and others with special expertise. ...
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Rotech Reports First Quarter Results After Delay
ORLANDO, Fla.--After delaying the release of its first quarter financial results in May, last week Rotech Healthcare reported a net loss of $3 million for the first quarter of 2005. For the same quarter last year, the respiratory and DME provider reported net earnings of $9.1 million....
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CMS Eliminates Specialist Requirement to Prescribe Scooters, POVs
BALTIMORE--Any physician can now prescribe a scooter or power mobility vehicle under Medicare, according to a policy revision posted by the DMERCs. Effective retroactively for dates of service on or after May 5--when CMS' new National Coverage Determination for mobility took effect--the policy eliminates the restriction that required a specialist in physical medicine, orthopedic surgery, neurology or rheumatology to prescribe such equipment. ...
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Voinovich Writes Leavitt about Competitive Bidding, Mobility Coverage
WASHINGTON--Ohio Sen. George Voinovich, one of the HME industry's staunchest political advocates, recently sent two letters to HHS Secretary Michael Leavitt pointing out his constituents' concerns about CMS' plans for DME competitive bidding and Medicare's new mobility coverage policy. ...
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HHS Announces Plans to Shorten Medicare Appeals Process
WASHINGTON--After taking control of the Medicare appeals process at the start of the month, the Department of Health and Human Services said last week that it plans to use technology to speed up the process and increase access to hearings....
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Apria Acquires Air Liquide's U.S. Home Care Division
LAKE FOREST, Calif.--Apria has snatched up another competitor, closing a deal to acquire Paris-based Air Liquide's $20 million U.S. home care business, VitalAire. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed....
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Vail Products Closes Shop after FDA Action
TOLEDO, OHIO--After the Food and Drug Administration issued a nationwide recall warning consumers against the use of its enclosed bed system, Vail Products announced it will be shutting its doors....
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DMERCs Scour Diabetic Supply Claims
WASHINGTON--CMS' durable medical equipment regional carriers are beginning to examine diabetic supply claims more carefully, so providers must take steps to make sure those claims are reimbursed, a CMS official announced during the agency's Open Door Forum June 23. Recently, a number of providers, particularly in DMERC Region A, have expressed concern about these reimbursements, he said. ...
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ALJs to Transfer to HHS July 1
WASHINGTON--Home care providers will soon need to send appeals of carrier fair hearing decisions to the Department of Health and Human Services....
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Senate Letter Opposes 'In-The-Home' Restriction
WASHINGTON--Sens. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., and Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., are circulating a "dear colleague" letter, asking their fellow senators to sign a letter to HHS Secretary Michael Leavitt urging him to modify Medicare's in-the-home restriction for coverage of mobility equipment....
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CMS to Accept NPIs in January
BALTIMORE--CMS announced last week that claims including the new National Provider Identifier will be accepted beginning Jan. 3. ...
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