September Archives

As of September 29, the application portal for Phase 4 of the HHS Provider Relief Fund (PRF) is open, and HHS has released further details regarding which providers are eligible to apply for additional funding in this latest round. The application portal is scheduled to remain open until Oct. 26. There are technically two separate programs or sources of funding available right now, but the single application serves for both programs. In addition to Phase 4 of the PRF, there is also separate...

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Home medical equipment suppliers (HME) have endured many obstacles over the years while doing their best to continuing to provide quality products and services to patients in the home. Over the past ten years, reimbursement rates for HME reimbursement rates have decreased mainly due to the competitive bidding program. Other obstacles like COVID-19, audits, regulatory burdens, cost increases, staff shortages, and supplier closures have made it incredibly difficult for HME business to continue to...

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In this latest vlog, Ronda shares the update about the finalization of the oxygen national coverage determination (NCD), as well as information about her upcoming webinar where she will dive deeper into this update, what changes are included in the policy, and how the NCD affects the local coverage determination (LCD). Watch her update below!
 
Click here for the original announcement form CMS, and click here to register for our webinar on Friday, October 1 at 1 p.m. CT. Read More

Check out the latest vlog from Ronda Buhrmester about using the CR modifier during the public health emergency (PHE) as it relates to respiratory policies. Watch below!

The HME state associations met during the VGM Heartland Conference for the second State Leaders Summit on Tuesday, September 14.

Items discussed during the summit includde:

Emergency Preparedness Establishing/Maintaining a working relationship with the CMS regional offices through their OPOLE program. Recent announcements, data, studies, survey How VGM can assist the state associations.

Many state leaders attended the event in person at VGM’s...

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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,...

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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...

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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...

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