Binson's shines on diamond anniversary
Has plans to grow through bid program07/24/2013Elizabeth DepreyCENTER LINE, Mich. – The formula for success at Binson’s Home Health Centers is simple, says owner Jim Binson.“It’s a family operation,”...
View ArticleIn brief: Seven more sign on, ResMed takes new action
07/26/2013HME News StaffWASHINGTON – In the wake of the industry’s recent virtual fly-in, H.R. 1717 has picked up an additional seven co-sponsors, bringing the current total to 144. The bill, which was...
View ArticleBidding and wheelchairs: ‘The system is not working’
08/02/2013Elizabeth DepreyYARMOUTH, Maine – Industry warnings of access problems due to Round 2 of competitive bidding are becoming a day-to-day reality for power wheelchair users.Providers report...
View ArticlePricing concerns cloud ResMed’s solid earnings
08/09/2013Liz BeaulieuSAN DIEGO – Whether or not ResMed is giving steep discounts to cash-strapped HME providers was the hot topic during an Aug. 1 call to discuss the company’s recent earnings.An...
View ArticleMinnesota case study: How do cuts spread?
08/23/2013Liz BeaulieuSAINT PAUL, Minn. – With the pricing for Round 2 of competitive bidding sending reverberations throughout various payer circles, nowhere is the threat possibly more powerful than...
View ArticleWhat's next for LMI?
Provide was not awarded any contracts for Round 208/23/2013Theresa FlahertyMOUNT VERNON, N.Y. – After a planned merger fell apart shortly after it was announced, industry watchers say they are waiting...
View ArticleHart Medical gains affiliates
10/21/2013HME News StaffDETROIT – Two Michigan hospital-based systems and an affiliate of Center Line, Mich.-based Binson’s Home Health Centers have agreed to merge, according to Crain’s Detroit...
View ArticlePrivate pay rates below bid rates
10/25/2013Theresa FlahertyBlueCross BlueShield in several states plans to implement new payment rates this fall that look a lot like the Round 2 bid rates, and in some cases, worse.“They cut rates...
View ArticleRound 2: Up, down, all around
03/14/2014Theresa FlahertyYARMOUTH, Maine – More than half a year in, Round 2 of the competitive bidding program has had an uneven impact on providers in affected areas.Provider Steve Ackerman, whose...
View ArticleReporter's notebook: Burden intensifies for contract suppliers
03/28/2014Theresa FlahertyWhen it comes to managing a Round 2 contract, the low single payment amounts aren’t the only obstacle to providing timely service. Onerous documentation requirements and...
View ArticleRound 2 at one-year mark: ‘We’ve thinned the ranks’
07/03/2014Theresa FlahertyYARMOUTH, Maine – In the year since Round 2 of competitive bidding was implemented in 91 cities, the HME industry has seen a rapidly shrinking provider base.In a story that’s...
View ArticleBeing a contract supplier: Has it been worth it?
03/13/2015Tracy OrzelEditor’s note: This is the first of two stories examining the impact of competitive bidding in Round 2 areas. Next week: “Closings abound.”YARMOUTH, Maine – With the bid window for...
View ArticleClosings abound
03/20/2015Tracy OrzelSince founding Medi-Healthcare in 1985, CEO Robert Slama has seen providers come and go, but recently, he says there’s a lot more going than coming.“We’ve seen about 13 companies...
View ArticleIn brief: Utilization drops in Round 2 bid areas, retail finalists named
10/21/2016HME News StaffWASHINGTON – The number of Medicare beneficiaries receiving DMEPOS in Round 2 areas decreased more than twice as much from 2012 to 2014 than in non-bid areas, according to a new...
View ArticleNew study is wake-up call for providers, says Ryan
10/21/2016Tracy OrzelWASHINGTON – Medicare payments under the competitive bidding program are below providers’ costs and therefore unsustainable, says a new study.Medicare reimbursement rates cover, on...
View ArticleInconsistencies in bid program
11/17/2017HME News StaffBALTIMORE – CMS did not always follow its own procedures and federal requirements for awarding competitive bidding contracts consistently, according to a new report from the...
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