Shelly Prial – An HME Legend Preps for His Final Medtrade – Part 2

July 20, 2015
GOOSE CREEK, SC – Sheldon (Shelly) Prial has been to all but one Medtrade, and the 88-year-old HME legend has decided to make this year’s show his last. In Part 2 of our series (check out part one here), we start on July 2, 1950, when Shelly

HME Innovation – An Activist Caregiver’s Perspective – Part II

July 20, 2015
NEW YORK – In an earlier editorial (HME Innovation: A Caregiver’s Perspective), I made an impassioned plea for HME manufacturers and suppliers to “get onboard the ‘evidence-based’ healthcare delivery train.” I also urged HME compa

AAHomecare in Action – Association Paves Way for Prior Authorization Language

July 13, 2015
WASHINGTON, DC – The newest version of the 21st Century Cures bill now includes language to extend the CMS power wheelchair prior authorization demonstration. With the current demonstration ending this August, the new provisions would extend th

Doing Nothing Will Be the Kiss of Death

July 13, 2015
WASHINGTON, DC – On August 3, Congress will start its month-long summer recess. During the recess, legislators will travel back to their districts. This is a perfect opportunity for HME providers to explain the devastating impact of using bid d

Independents Day

July 6, 2015
FORT COLLINS, CO – One of the benefits of writing/editing Medtrade Monday is chatting with the many I Am the HME Industry providers. Many of these providers are truly “independents,” some in the most extreme. Two weeks ago, for example, I c

AAHomecare in Action – CMS Releases Annual ESRD Proposed Rule

July 6, 2015
WASHINGTON, DC – This time last year, CMS used their annual proposed rule on end stage renal disease payments to also announce their intent to adjust Medicare payment rates in areas outside the competitive bidding areas. Commonly referred to as