CHICAGO--Maryanne Popovich, long-time executive director of home care accreditation for The Joint Commission, retired Friday, ironically just as the HME industry is on the cusp of mandatory accreditation.

On Friday, in fact, some industry stakeholders caught a glimpse of what might well be the first 10 cities in CMS' competitive bidding project (see top story), where providers will be required to be accredited by a CMS-approved accrediting body in order to bid. Mandatory accreditation of all providers will follow at some point, although CMS has not yet set the effective date for that.

Popovich, who has held her position for 14 years, said she is looking forward to moving back to her home state of Pennsylvania, spending time with her family and nurturing her penchant for traveling and museums.

"Who knows, I may even take an art class," she said.

The former nurse, who has been with The Joint Commission since its inception in 1988 when she started out as a surveyor in the home health division, said she will stay on in a part-time capacity during the transition as a new executive director is named.

Gina Zimmermann, senior executive director of business development for the agency, said the organization hopes to have a replacement for Popovich within two to three months. The new executive director will immediately need to grapple with the mandatory accreditation issue for HME providers.

Already, Zimmermann said, "we are seeing a steep increase in interest; that's actually across all segments in the areas that we accredit--even in home health without [durable medical equipment] and hospice, too."

Looking back on her years with The Joint Commission, Popovich said, one of her proudest moments was "that we were the first to accredit HME."

Popovich, who is a member of the Program Advisory and Oversight Committee, formed to advise CMS on competitive bidding, said she had no idea when she made the decision to retire that The Joint Commission, like other industry stakeholders, would still be waiting for the final rule on competitive bidding.

"We thought it was going to come out last fall," she said. Still, she feels the time is right to retire. The Joint Commission, which recently shortened its name (from JCAHO), is well-positioned to deal with the changes coming down in the industries it covers, she said.

But Popovich believes the HME industry will experience some tough times, and said she harbors some concerns about competitive bidding. "I am speechless as to whether it is going to be good or it is going to be bad," she said. "It has the potential to be of benefit. But I have no idea, even as a member of the Program advisory board, how they are going to roll out the products, the rules, how they are going to administer the bids coming in.

"I want the organizations to bid realistically and read the rules," she continued. "They are not going to benefit anyone by going low. But I am more concerned ... about who is going to be allowed to service [the equipment]. I am very concerned that we are not going to have enough providers for people to access this service ... I'm worried about the whole process."

Still, she thinks the industry could be on the brink of some of its best times, largely because of the mandatory accreditation provision. "Despite the uncertainties, I think if the industry can just hold tight and look beyond to two or three years, it is going to be in much better shape," Popovich said. "I absolutely am aware of the reimbursement issues ... but I think the industry has the best opportunity I've seen in all my years to [establish itself] as a credible service segment.

"Once the credibility has been established, the value of the service and the reimbursement will flow from there."