Pediatric Home Service (PHS) has acquired Apple Homecare Medical Supply, one of the largest pediatric respiratory and enteral supply providers in the state of Texas. In a Nov. 3 announcement, VERTESS, a healthcare mergers and acquisitions advisory firm that facilitated the acquisition, said, “Apple HMS, headquartered in Richardson, Texas, has been a full-service home medical…
Apple Homecare Medical Supply Acquired by Pediatric Home Service
CMS Announces Preliminary Coding Recommendations for Powered Seat Elevation
Stakeholders are invited to present comments during a Nov. 30 coding meeting.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has revealed its first coding recommendations following its May decision to cover powered seat elevation on power wheelchairs for Medicare beneficiaries. The announcement came as part of CMS’s agenda for its Nov. 30 public meeting on Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) codes. Waiting for More Info…
Briefly: Dancing in Dallas in December; Miller’s Grows Its Documentation Team
Featuring the Abilities Expo and Miller’s.
The Abilities Expo Announces 2024 Dates The final 2023 Abilities Expo is scheduled to take place in Dallas, Dec. 1-3… but the consumer show series already has a busy 2024 schedule in the works. The first 2024 event is scheduled for Los Angeles, March 15-17. That will be followed by the New York Metro expo…
Educational Webinar: Creating Successful Alternative Driving Controls Outcomes
Preparation and follow-through are key to ultimate power chair driving success.
Alternative driving controls can provide a pathway to independent mobility for power wheelchair riders unable to use traditional joysticks. But determining the best alternative driving control for each client can be challenging given all the choices currently on the market. With so much to accomplish during the clinical seating evaluation in such a short time,…
Survey: People with ALS Report “Acceptable” Quality of Life
Respondents reported on their priorities and worries.
A new survey of people living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in nine European countries asked about their priorities and how ALS has changed their lives. The study — “IMPACT-ALS: Summary of results from a European survey of people living with ALS” — was published in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Degeneration in September. In…
Commentary: Seniors at a DISAdvantage Over MA Plans’ Marketing
Medicare Advantage plans' outreach seems confusing by design.
On a typical work day, I receive several robocalls from Medicare Advantage (MA) plans wanting to ask “a few simple questions” to see if I qualify. I usually just hang up, but recently I was particularly cranky about being interrupted. So I told the robo-voice I did not have Medicare Part A or B, which…
Briefly: A Happy Birthday; Unhappy Events at the Gym
Featuring ROHO, Permobil, the Permobil Foundation, and United Spinal Association.
ROHO Celebrates Golden Anniversary Happy 50th birthday to ROHO, whose “dry floatation” technology was created by Robert H. Graebe in 1973. The milestone was celebrated at the ROHO facility in Belleville, Ill., on Sept. 23. According to Permobil, who acquired ROHO in 2015, the event included factory tours, music, children’s activities, food, and prize giveaways.…
AAHomecare Reports Medicaid Rate Increases for North Carolina
The K0005, E1161, and K0861 codes are among those impacted.
The American Association for Homecare (AAHomecare) is reporting Medicaid rate increases for home medical equipment (HME) in North Carolina. In a Nov. 1 bulletin, AAHomecare credited “strong relationships with North Carolina Medicaid officials and members of the state legislature, ACMESA leaders, and the AAHomecare Payer Relations Team” for the $3.2 million increase in funding. “The…
QUICKIE Sports Chairs Will Be Rebranded to RGK
The AllCourt and Match Point lines will join RGK’s sports chair family.
QUICKIE sports wheelchairs will have a new brand name going forward. In an Oct. 31 announcement, Sunrise Medical said it’s rebranding “our QUICKIE sports chairs under one world-class brand, RGK. The QUICKIE AllCourt and QUICKIE Match Point will now be rebranded the RGK AllCourt and RGK Match Point models.” Jim Black, RGK’s Director of Strategic…
CMS Schedules Public Meeting on Seat Elevation Coding
The meeting is also expected to cover reimbursement payments.
NCART has reported that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is ready to talk about the crucial next steps for powered seat elevation coverage. On May 16, CMS announced its decision to cover powered seat elevation on power wheelchairs for Medicare beneficiaries. CMS even went beyond the scope of the original industry request,…