Wellspring Lutheran Services president & CEO will be honored at LeadingAge annual meeting

WASHINGTON—LeadingAge, a nonprofit and mission-driven provider of aging services, announced David Gehm as the 2024 Award of Honor recipient. This accolade recognizes Gehm, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Wellspring Lutheran Services, for his leadership, commitment to community services and advancement of care quality for older adults.

The Venowave VW5 received permanent HCPCS code E0683 for innovative durable medical equipment

TORONTO, Ontario—Therma Bright Inc., a developer and investment partner in proprietary diagnostic and medical device technologies, announced it's Venowave VW5 has received the permanent health care common procedure coding system (HCPCS) code from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

In some medical device recalls, including some of the most serious, the FDA & the manufacturers let doctors and hospitals continue to use the devices

In 2016, medical device giant Abbott issued a recall for its MitraClip cardiac device—“a Class I recall, the most serious type,” the FDA said.

“Use of this device may cause serious injuries or death,” an FDA notice about the recall said.

Cardinal's fourth quarter revenue increased 12% to $59.9 billion

DUBLIN, Ohio—Cardinal Health reported its fourth quarter fiscal year 2024 (FY24) revenues of $59.9 billion, an increase of 12% from the prior year. GAAP operating earnings were $401 million and GAAP diluted earnings per share (EPS) were $0.96. Non-GAAP operating earnings increased 14% to $605 million, driven primarily by segment profit increases in global medical products and distribution (GMPD) and pharmaceutical and specialty solutions.

nVoq aims to accelerate HIPAA-compliant clinical documentation across multiple platforms

BOULDER, Colorado—nVoq Inc., a transformative technology and AI-enabled voice-to-text solutions company serving in-home health care agencies, announced its launch of the nVoq Mobile Voice for iOS. The application provides caregivers with a purpose-built solution to transform documentation, an essential part of clinical practice.

Two new members were welcomed to the consultant team, aiming to enhance van Halem’s services

ATLANTA—The van Halem Group announced the addition of Melissa Pederson and Dr. William Felix to its team of expert consultants. Wayne van Halem, president of The van Halem Group, said he is thrilled to welcome them both to the team.

“Their background, skills and expertise are perfectly aligned with the services we provide to our clients, and we are lucky to have them,” said van Halem.

The University of Pittsburgh & the Medical University of South Carolina study the impacts of mobility devices & limited mobility on frequent falls

PITTSBURGH—Clinical investigators from the University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) and the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) recently reported that different types of mobility devices and certain characteristics of people with limited mobility are associated with reported falls, according to their study.

The value-based care health model of Serviam Care Network and quality senior care of Bickford Senior Living aim to improve lives of Virginia residents

KANSAS CITY, Missouri—Serviam Care Network, through its Value-Based Care Alliance, has announced the addition of Bickford Senior Living to the Value-Based Care Alliance of Virginia, which introduces value-based care (VBC) health models to its Virginia communities. This collaboration aims to enhance the quality of care for senior residents while improving health outcomes and reducing costs.

The Subaru Loves to Care Initiative helped Camden-based patients for the 3rd year in a row

CAMDEN, New Jersey—In a commitment to furthering its partnership with Cooper University Health Care and bolstering essential services for the Camden community, Subaru of America, Inc., has announced its continued support of $30,000 for durable medical equipment (DME) and transportation services to continue to fuel Cooper's mission.

Christopher Spellman pleaded guilty of conspiracy to defraud health care companies through bribery

CONCORD, Florida—A Florida man pleaded guilty in federal court for his role in a conspiracy to defraud Medicare of $39.5 million, announced U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young.

Christopher Spellman of Port Richey, Florida, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and was charged on July 17. U.S. District Court Judge Samantha Elliott scheduled sentencing for Nov. 21, 2024. 

The survey reveals nearly 80% of older LGBTQ+ adults are concerned with health care access, discrimination & more

WASHINGTON—A new AARP study discovered four in five (78%) older adults who identify as LGBTQ+ are concerned with a lack of support from family and friends as they age. At the same time, nearly half (45%) of these adults are already living with a chronic condition and/or disability.

Kythera is one of only 23 organizations with access to Medicare Parts A, B, and D claims data covering all 50 states

FRANKLIN, Tennessee—Kythera Labs, Inc. announced its certification as a Qualified Entity from the Centers for Medicaid & Medicare Services (CMS). The CMS Qualified Entity (QE) Program, also known as the Medicare Data Sharing for Performance Measurement Program, enables certified organizations to receive Medicare claims data under Parts A, B and D. Only 39 organizations are QEs and only 23, including Kythera, have access to nationwide data.

Joseph Tusia operated 10 DMEs and a tattoo laser removal business

LOS ANGELES—The owner of a tattoo removal business in South Gate pleaded guilty to federal criminal charges for recruiting paraplegics in a health care fraud scheme that netted more than $1.7 million and for cheating on his taxes.

Joseph Tusia, 60, of Leominster, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty to a two-count information charging him with health care fraud and tax evasion.

'A Dementia Caregiver Called to Action: The Journey' is a resource designed to address common questions about the dementia caregiver journey

COLUMBIA, South Carolina—Nearly 7 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s dementia, according to the Alzheimer’s Association, and that number is expected to rise—a statistic that has gerontologist Macie Smith concerned about the ability of the medical community to provide comprehensive support for patients and their caregivers.

A comprehensive analysis of key trends, challenges & opportunities driving the evolution of post-acute care

ATLANTA—Trella Health, a provider of market intelligence and integrated customer relationship management (CRM) solutions to the post-acute care industry, released its 2024 edition of the Post-Acute Care Industry Trends Report.

Leveraging the most recent and complete data available from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, this report highlights trends, ongoing challenges and emerging opportunities shaping the post-acute care industry.

The PACE program provides thousands of lower-income seniors & people with disabilities with comprehensive care

WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and Mike Braun (R-IN), Chairman and Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, introduced the bipartisan PACE Anytime Act. The bill will expand access to the PACE program, which provides thousands of lower-income seniors and people with disabilities with comprehensive care. 

Senior care franchise shares what caregivers need to know to help protect seniors

ROSEVILLE, California—In these peak summer months, Always Best Care franchise teams nationwide are encouraging seniors and their families to take skin cancer awareness seriously. As leading providers of non-medical in-home care and senior living referral services, Always Best Care professionals know caregivers can play a crucial role in monitoring seniors for any concerning skin changes and helping them get prompt medical attention when needed.