HALIFAX, Va.--In an announcement sent last week, state association executives and officers were invited to a prelaunch informational meeting about a new organization called the National Association of Independent Medical Equipment Suppliers.

NAIMES is being formed "as a grassroots advocacy, DME support and information resource organization for independent DME providers," according to the invitation.

"If you look at the numbers, there are 113,000 supplier numbers in the United States, and 108,000 of those do less than $1 million a year with Medicare ... There is no association focused on the smaller supplier side of this," said industry consultant Wayne Stanfield, who will serve as president and CEO of the new group.

Along with creating advocacy campaigns in every state, the association intends to support state DME associations in dealing with legislative and regulatory issues affecting providers, such as Medicaid, sales tax and licensure.

"We believe that politics are local," said Stanfield, who has interests in two HME companies and also serves as executive director of the Home Care Alliance of Virginia, a provider network. "We think that the home district is where minds are changed, not in Washington, so our goal for this organization is going to be grassroots advocacy and education entirely focused on supporting state associations in their lobbying activities."

Other officers of the new association include Neil Caesar of Greenville, S.C.-based Health Law Center, who will serve as vice president and general counsel, and H. Wayne Sale, president of Richmond, Va.-based Health First, who will be the group's board chairman. Other members of the nine-member board have not been announced.

The organization, which said it is aiming to sign up 10,000 members, plans a formal launch shortly after Medtrade Spring.

Want to use this article? Click here for options!
© 2007 Penton Media, Inc.