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Posted On: September 17, 2021 by VGM Government Relations in: General, HHS, PHE
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has announced 2 important updates (https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2021/09/10/hhs-announces-the-availability-of-25-point-5-billion-in-covid-19-provider-funding.html) regarding the HHS Provider Relief Fund...
September 17, 2021
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has announced 2 important updates (https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2021/09/10/hhs-announces-the-availability-of-25-point-5-billion-in-covid-19-provider-funding.html) regarding the HHS Provider Relief Fund (PRF).
An additional $25.5B in funding will be made available to eligible providers beginning September 29th. The funding will be available through 2 different source. $8.5B dollars will be made available through the American Rescue Plan,...September 9, 2021
Categories: General
Announcements are coming in from CMS and many news sources regarding President Joe Biden’s new vaccine mandates discussed today in his afternoon press conference.
From CMS: “The Biden-Harris Administration will require COVID-19 vaccination of staff within all Medicare and Medicaid-certified facilities (includes Durable Medical Equipment Suppliers) to protect both them and patients from the virus and its more contagious Delta variant. Facilities across the country should make...
September 9, 2021
Categories: CMS, COVID-19, General, PHE, Reimbursement
Of the many negative byproducts instituted by the pandemic, manufacturing surcharges emerge as one of the largest expenditures currently being incurred. The supply chain continues to be impacted, passing down higher acquisition costs to providers. Providers cannot pass this cost onto their patients and incur unexpected costs to their businesses while being at the mercy of reimbursement rates CMS dictates. These surcharges do not adjust immediately in response to industry variables. These excessive...
August 26, 2021
Categories: CMS, General, Medicare, PRI
Yesterday, CMS sent out the alert below regarding the recalled Phillips Respironics products, directing Medicare beneficiaries to reach out the suppliers they purchased the equipment from if they need it replaced or repaired. While the statement released by CMS is accurate in that most of the patients impacted by the recall should expect to have their existing device repaired or replaced, it fails to mention that the process and timeline associated with repairing or replacing those devices could...
August 24, 2021
Categories: General
Ronda Buhrmester provides updates on the latest CPAP and BiPap policy updates. And there is good news! Take a listen!
August 19, 2021
Categories: General, State Associations
The Atlantic Coast Medical Equipment Services Association (ACMESA) conference was held this week in Wilmington Beach, NC. During this conference, the Tart Leadership and Advocacy Award was given to both Joey and Billy Tart of Family Medical. They are the inaugural (first) recipient of this award. In the future, this award will be given to ACMESA members who advocate on behalf of the industry and the patients they serve.
Beth Bowen also received an award for her 30 years of service working...
August 4, 2021
The SBA has now opened both the Targeted Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Advance and the Supplemental Targeted Advance grants to all eligible business types. Forgivable grants of up to $10,000 were available for a time during 2020 to all businesses. Later, the Targeted EIDL was available to only agricultural businesses. Now all business types can apply if they have not yet done so, but they have to meet certain criteria in order to qualify. Those criteria are as follows:
The...
August 2, 2021
Categories: General
You have seen them driving through the commercial district of your town. “Help wanted” signs are on almost every business’s door. In multiple congressional meetings, we have had HME providers express the difficulty of retaining employees. The labor shortage is real and actively affecting HME providers.
We have put together a nine-question survey seeking to understand the effects of the labor shortage on the HME industry. This survey will provide an additional lens to...
August 2, 2021
Categories: General
Senate bill S. 2556, the Medicare O&P Patient-Centered Care Act, was introduced on Friday, July 30. This bill is being led by Sens. Mark Warner (D-VA) and Steve Daines (R-MT). Additional original co-sponsors include Sens. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Charles Grassley (R-IA), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), and John Cornyn (R-TX). This is a companion bill to H.R. 1990.
The bill would accomplish four key priorities for the orthotic and prosthetic profession. It would:
Distinguish durable...July 29, 2021
Categories: Competitive Bidding, General
CMS announced today that manual wheelchair accessories will be permanently exempt from future competitive bidding programs.
As printed in the CMS fact sheet:
“CMS is finalizing an exclusion from fee schedule adjustments based on information from the DMEPOS Competitive Bidding Program (CBP) for wheelchair accessories (including seating systems) and seat and back cushions furnished in connection with group 3 or higher complex rehabilitative power wheelchairs. We are also...
