LAS VEGAS--Hoping to allay fears for the future and find answers to critical questions about competitive bidding and accreditation, some 5,000 home medical equipment providers are expected in Las Vegas this week for Medtrade Spring.

They likely couldn't find a better place to be.

More than 80 educational sessions and 500 exhibitors will be featured at the conference and exhibition, set for Tuesday through Thursday at the Las Vegas Convention Center--and they are focused on how to be successful in today's volatile HME climate.

The event comes at a time when the industry is turning topsy turvy, undone by the implementation of competitive bidding, with a 60-day bid window to open late this month for providers in 10 MSAs across the country. In addition, last week CMS issued an Aug. 31 acreditation deadline for those providers who hope to win a contract in any of 10 product categories. (For more on the accreditation deadline, see "Accreditors: Still Time for Providers to Meet CMS Deadline" below.)

With a broad spectrum of industry movers and shakers as speakers, Medtrade Spring promises to be a forum for the most up-to-date information on those two key issues, according to Liz Sommerville, Medtrade's recently appointed group show director.

"People are wanting to come and get the educational content," she said. "It's amazing how little people know and how panicked they are right now. We've actually added a new session on competitive bidding."

Called "Nuts-and-Bolts Steps to Survive Competitive Bidding," the session will be led by health care attorney Jeffrey Baird of Brown & Fortunato, Amarillo, Texas; Jane Bunch, vice president, HME consulting, for Atlanta-based CareCentric; and Mark Higley, vice president of development for Waterloo, Iowa-based buying group VGM. The trio will offer an overview of the final rule, information on how to prepare an application, the ins-and-outs of subcontracting and even ideas on what to do if a provider is not awarded a contract. The session will be held at 9:45 a.m. on Wednesday.

As well, Amy S. Leopard and Robert Crump, attorneys with the Cleveland, Ohio, law firm of Walter & Haverfield, will present "Competitive Bidding Networks: How to Prepare for Joint Bidding Proposals" at 9:45 a.m. on Thursday.

Medtrade Spring also has a full slate of presentations on accreditation. "Accreditation Central" will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday with seminars and exhibits presented by eight of the CMS-approved accrediting organizations. The seminars are designed to help providers figure out which organization is most appropriate for their business.

Steve Vinci, general manager of Sacramento, Calif.-based Timberlake Corp., said he is hoping to gain some "clarity" on competitive bidding and accreditation at the show, as well as "what's going on at the federal level."

While his company is not located in one of the initial competitive bidding areas, he still wants to know now how to deal with it when it comes. "At some point, we are all going to have to live with the competitive bid," he said. "I'm looking for ways to gain some economies so we are not stuck with lower revenues without lower costs. I'm looking for a better way to do things as long as it's not compromising patient quality."

Vinci and most other providers will likely take in what is traditionally one of the best-attended events at Medtrade, according to Sommerville. The American Association for Homecare will hold its annual Washington Update at 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday to fill attendees in on key regulatory and legislative issues facing the industry.

In addition, providers will have access to dozens of other sessions on topics ranging from developing new market niches to the practicalities of the current oxygen reimbursement environment, COPD disease state management and wound care. On the exhibit floor, the New Product Pavilion will spotlight innovative products at the show, Sommerville said.

With all the industry changes, she added, Medtrade has also developed a series of mini-conferences under the Medtrade Conferences on the Road umbrella. Designed to address a wide range of current topics, Sommerville said initial sessions have been held in Baltimore, Pittsburgh and Detroit with more on the way.

Medtrade Spring will also route to various cities, Sommerville said. Next year, the show will be held in Long Beach, Calif., then will move back to Las Vegas in 2009. After that, she said, the show will move to a new city in 2010.

For more information about Medtrade Spring, check the Web site at www.medtradespring.com.