MEDFORD, Massachusetts & COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado—Innovive Health, a home health care agency serving complex behavioral health patients, announced it is expanding its behavioral health home care model to Colorado. The expansion comes as the nation’s health care system is facing a growing patient population with behavioral health needs and unprecedented staffing and economic pressures in the wake of the pandemic.

The American Association for Homecare (AAHomecare) hopes to bolster its advocacy capabilities in critical areas through the addition of Alexis Ward as Senior Director of Payer Relations, effective June 19, 2023.

FRISCO, Texas—Addus HomeCare Corporation, a provider of home care services, commented on the proposed new rule announced last week by the Biden Administration’s Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) known as “Assuring Access to Medicaid Services.” The proposed rule is in addition to those adopted under the Obama Administration in 2016 and incorporates new requirements covering additional Medicaid Services, including home- and community-based services (HCBS).

AAHomecare has opened its strategic priorities survey and seeks from input all areas of the home medical equipment sector (HME). The survey is designed to capture perspectives from HME suppliers, manufacturers, distributors, service providers to the HME industry and HME association executives. It will remain open through May 12.

​Late last week, Home Care Association of America reported CEO Vicki Hoak announced her resignation. She will continue to lead the organization until her last day, Oct. 24, 2023, after the National Home Care Conference. After three years Hoak intends to focus on other areas of interest and spend time with her family.
 

TAMPA, Florida—RemSleep Holdings Inc., a medical device manufacturer dedicated to treatment provided to Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) patients, provided an update on its testing protocol for 510K clearance of its DeltaWave CPAP Mask as well as developments for its next-generation masks which it said has shown internal indications of relief from those suffering with certain comorbidities in conjunction with their sleep apnea.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published the much-anticipated Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) that provides some directions on the ending of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE).

WASHINGTON—Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) have just introduced S.1294, legislation to further extend the Medicare 75/25 blended rate for non-rural, non-CBA home medical equipment (HME) suppliers through the end of 2024. 

WASHINGTON—A new report from the 33^rd annual Retirement Confidence Survey finds a decline in the confidence Americans feel in having enough money to live comfortably throughout their retirement years. The report also finds both workers and retirees are very concerned about inflation and its impact on their savings and spending.

AUSTIN, Texas—Oracle announced Seema Verma has been named senior vice president and general manager, Life Sciences. In this role, she will lead the Oracle Life Sciences and Oracle Cerner Enviza lines of business.