Legislative


Two Key Industry Efforts: Round 2021 Delay and AAHomecare Ambassadors

Tom Ryan of American Association for Homecare joins the HMEB podcast to discuss the current push to delay Round 2021 and the special Ambassador project to get more providers involved in the association.

House Sign-on Letter Calls for Bid Delay

HME providers have until July 29 to secure signatures on Congressional letter urging HHS and CMS to delay Round 2021 for at least a year.

ACMESA Not Holding August Summer Meeting

North Carolina recovery plan nixes state association’s Aug. 19-20 event. ACMESA is examining possible fall rescheduling as well as virtual options.

2020 HME Woman of the Year Open for Nominations

The fifth annual edition of VGM’s awards program recognizing women who have made significant contributions to the industry is taking nominations until Aug. 14.

AAHomecare: CMS Must Delay Round 2021

Association calls on providers to ensure their lawmakers understand that COVID-19 necessitates CMS delay implementing the next round.

Healthcare Orgs Fight CARES Act Tax Penalty

AAHomecare has banded together with other healthcare industry organizations to fix a flaw in the CARES Act that could cost providers more than a fifth of their CARES Act funding.

NEMEP Annual Meeting Goes Virtual

Slated for Sept. 28 to Oct. 2, the event will include content from the association’s postponed April event, as well as new sessions that will run during the week.

AAHomecare Enjoys a Surge in Support

Association takes on new corporate members and sees many existing members raise their sponsorship levels to help drive its industry advocacy.

AAHomecare Presses for Equitable Medicaid Relief

Some providers were denied the recently announced Medicaid/CHIP relief despite declining payments from the first tranche of relief. Association working with administration, lawmakers for a fix.

AAHomecare Votes in New Board Members

Association elects Apria’s Guidetti as chairman, Spiro Health’s Gary Sheehan as new vice chairman and Pride’s Seth Johnson as new secretary, as well six new at-large board members.



Providers Called to Help Round 2021 Delay Effort

AAHomecare calls on HME providers and other industry stakeholders to contact their members of Congress and urge them to support delaying the implementation of Round 2021 of CMS’s competitive bidding program.

HHS Earmarks $15 Billion for Medicaid and CHIP Providers

The relief is for providers who have directly billed their state Medicaid/CHIP programs or Medicaid managed care plans in 2018-2020, but haven’t received payments from the $50 billion Provider Relief Fund’s General Distribution.

California Providers Fight Medi-Cal Cuts

While Golden State providers repelled larger Medicaid cuts last year, CAMPS and AAHomecare are now working California HME stakeholders to limit significant retroactive recoupments.

Senate Upvotes Bill that Adds Major Flexibility to PPP

Upper chamber passes legislation that would lengthen period for using PPP funds and decrease the percentage of funds needed to be spent on payroll. The reform now goes to the President for signature.

AAHomecare Submits Comments on CMS IFR

After thanking CMS for relief given to providers to help them continue providing services during COVID-19, association sought further clarification and recommended additional relief.

Coronavirus

Business Solutions

Pandemic!

As epidemiologists and public health officials first started warning about COVID-19, some HME providers were already making plans. How has the industry responded to the public health emergency? How have these changes impacted their businesses and patients? How has public policy adjusted? How might all these changes impact the future of the HME?

Provider Strategy

Learning from Genetic Testing and Kickbacks

A shift in scams run by the types of bad actors involved in 2019's $1.2 billion brace fraud has new lessons HME providers should take a moment to understand.

AAHomecare Offers Guidance on IFR Comments

The association has outlined a number of requests it is making in its public comments on CMS’s April 6 interim final rule. Comments are due June 1.

AAHomecare Survey Reveals Supply Chain Disruptions, Price Increases For HME Providers During COVID-19 Crisis

The survey asked more than 500 providers about the issues they have faced in obtaining PPE, oxygen equipment and other products since the onset of the pandemic.

Latest Stimulus Package Now Law

House passes and President signs into law $484 billion worth of funding that includes $75 Billion in relief for healthcare providers.

HME Business Podcast