Anticipating Atlanta

Schedule at a Glance

It may traditionally be the last major American DME/complex
rehab technology event of the season, but Medtrade is also traditionally
an opportunity to get a first glimpse of the year to come — its
new product launches, new funding policies or legislation taking
effect, and issues that will shape the way you’ll do business in the
future.

This year’s Medtrade event, at the Georgia World Congress
Center in Atlanta, is no different. As of this writing, the power
mobility device prior-authorization demonstration project has just
begun in seven states. Competitive bidding’s round 2 and round 1
recompete will be in full swing in 2013. Budgets remain tight, not
just at the federal level, but also for state Medicaid programs.

In addition, there are the usual Medtrade opportunities to
network with peers and seek out best practices to take home and put
to the test the following Monday. There are new features to check
out, as well as tried-and-true favorites. Before you enter the World
Congress, take a look at our best picks for this year’s event.

• The NRRTS Complex Rehabilitation Pavilion (aisles
  1200-1600) is back and conveniently located at the front of the
  exhibit hall. The pavilion offers “one-stop” shopping for many of
  Medtrade’s rehab-focused exhibitors. You’ll also find organizations
  such as the University of Pittsburgh, RESNA, NCART and of
  course, NRRTS.

• Medtrade has welcomed consumers to its exhibit hall for the
  past few years, and this year, there’s a new wrinkle: a Consumer
  Advocacy Pavilion featuring several of the biggest organizations in the industry: Paralyzed Veterans of
  America, United Cerebral Palsy, Users First,
  COPD Foundation and American Sleep Apnea
  Association. The pavilion is co-sponsored
  by MK Battery — whose Power for Funding
  program has raised funds for industry organizations
  such as AAHomecare, NCART and
  NRRTS in the past — and Medtrade. Among
  the goals for this new pavilion: “Developing
  strategic partnerships between consumer
  advocacy organizations and device manufacturers
  for a more unified approach to tackling
  mutual challenges,” say MK Battery VP Wayne
  Merdinger and Medtrade Group Show Director
  Kevin Gaffney.

• Stop by the Consumer Advocacy Pavilion on
  Wed., Oct. 17, at 10 a.m. for a coffee reception
  and to see the consumer organizations
  presented with funds raised by pavilion
  sponsors.

• One of Medtrade’s truly can’t-miss events is
  Wednesday, Oct. 17, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.
  AAHomecare’s Washington Update is
  free to attend, but registration is required (go
  to medtrade.com to register for Medtrade,
  or to add the Washington Update to your
  registration). The update, sponsored by HME
  Business, will feature speaker Stan Collender,
  federal budget expert and partner, Qorvis
  Communications, who will discuss how the
  federal government’s budget can be expected to
  impact the home-care segment. AAHomecare
  President Tyler Wilson and VP of Government
  Affairs Walt Gorski will also be on hand to
  talk about potential power shifts and other
  Washington scenarios in a presidential election
  year.

• Show you believe in the value of homecare
  by attending AAHomecare’s Stand Up
  for Homecare Fundraiser Reception
  on Tues., Oct. 16, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. For a
  minimum contribution of $150, you can attend
  this event that helps to fund the industry’s
  message on Capitol Hill and in the media, and
  funds research that confirms the necessity of
  homecare in the healthcare continuum. Tickets
  are available through Medtrade registration.

• And finally, come by booth 2153 to say hello
  to staffers from Mobility Management and
  The Mobility Project — our new consumertargeted
  Web site — as well as our sister publications
  HME Business and Respiratory & Sleep
  Management. We look forward to seeing you.