RALEIGH, N.C. (July 19, 2019)—This week, the North Carolina State Legislature passed S. 523, tax and revenue legislation that includes provisions exempting medically-prescribed diapers and incontinence products covered under North Carolina Medicaid from state sales tax, effective Oct. 1, 2019.

BOSTON (July 19, 2019)—Soom, a company that utilizes barcode and knowledge graph technologies to bridge information gaps between data sources and physical products, has introduced SoomSafety, an iOS mobile app that allows users to scan a medical device and receive instructions for use, safety and recall information directly from the device manufacturer and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

WOONSOCKET, R.I. (July 17, 2019)—CVS Health announced the initiation of a clinical trial designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the HemoCare Hemodialysis System for administration of home hemodialysis. The device includes safety features and is designed to make home hemodialysis simple for patients.

NEW YORK (July 16, 2019)—CipherHealth, a patient engagement software company in patient outreach, announced a partnership with Medline, a global manufacturer, distributor and solutions provider focused on improving the overall operating performance of health care to ensure patients have the best possible outcomes and experiences.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 16, 2019)—Changes to the TRICARE regions to consolidate to two plans from the previous three plans have been fraught with provider network and claims processing issues. While AAHomecare has been contacted regarding these issues with both regions, the bulk of the issues have been with the TRICARE East contractor, Humana Military.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 15, 2019)—CMS has issued blanket waivers for areas affected by Topical Storm Barry in Louisiana. The waivers are implemented retroactively to July 10, 2019 for 90 days (approximately October 8, 2019). The blanket waivers can be used for DMEPOS items that have been lost, damaged or destroyed. To use this waiver, suppliers will need to provide a narrative description on the claim that explains the reason the equipment needs to be replaced.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 11, 2019)—The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced on Thursday, July 11 that it had proposed a new rule to update the rates and wages for home health care for 2020, and implementing the Patient-Driven Groupings Model (PDGM), as well as other items.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 11, 2019)—Efforts to protect access to manual complex rehab technology (CRT) wheelchairs and accessories took another step forward today as the Health Subcommittee of the House Energy & Commerce Committee approved HR 2328, the "Reauthorizing and Extending America's Community Health Act'' (REACH Act). The bill includes similar language to HR 2293, legislation that AAHomecare and other mobility stakeholders have been supporting since its introduction in April.