News Articles
- AAHomecare and Providers Charge the Hill June 14, 2007
- The American Association for Homecare reported a successful showing at the Washington Legislative Conference June 5-7. One half of all the U.S. House and Senate offices had meetings in Washington with home care advocates who came from across the United States to lobby for better home oxygen policy and for changes to the Medicare competitive bidding program. More than 225 home care providers, patients and stakeholders were in attendance.
- Bidding Deadline Looms, But CBIC Technical Problems Could Cause Delays June 14, 2007
- Bidding for the first round is set to conclude July 13, but many providers are complaining of technical difficulties with the CBIC bidding system.
- CPAP Improves Sleep in Alzheimer's Patients with SDB June 14, 2007
- A study presented Monday at SLEEP 2007 reported that CPAP has been found effective for treatment of patients with both Alzheimer's disease and a sleep-related breathing disorder.
- Premature Vascular and Bone Changes Occur in COPD Patients June 14, 2007
- Researchers in the United Kingdom have found that patients with COPD have greater arterial stiffness. The researchers also found that those COPD patients with osteoporosis, a common complication of the respiratory disease, had even greater arterial stiffness. These premature signs of aging may explain why COPD patients are at greater risk for cardiovascular disease.
- SeQual Signs Agreement with The MED Group June 14, 2007
- SeQual Technologies has entered into a vendor agreement with The MED Group, which will give MED members access to contracted pricing.
- SLEEP 2007: More Attendees, More New Findings June 14, 2007
- SLEEP 2007, the 21st Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies (APSS), kicked off June 11 in Minneapolis. Many attendees and speakers marveled at how far the conference had come since its inception. This year's attendance was the largest to date, with approximately 5,800 sleep physicians, researchers and technicians attending the conference.
- Cirrus Data Launches Sleep Disorder Alliance Group for Online Lead Generation June 1, 2007
- Cirrus Data Management, a company that offers online lead generation for home health providers, recently launched the Sleep Disorder Alliance Group. The new offering joins the company's two other lead generation programs for mobility and diabetes.
- Asthma Branching: Research Indicates Stronger Connection Between Obesity, Incidence of Asthma May 30, 2007
- A study published in April by the American Thoracic Society showed that the incidence of asthma increases by 50 percent for overweight or obese individuals. Put into context: this means that since 65 percent of U.S. adults are either overweight or obese, the connection could have a tremendous impact on public health.
- CMS Opens Bidding May 15, 2007
- This morning, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) began soliciting bids for the first round of competitive bidding.
- Subcontracting Clause in Competitive Bidding Final Rule Gives Oxygen Providers Way Around Networks May 14, 2007
- Oxygen providers wondering how to meet the requirements for competitive bidding might have a glimmer of hope in subcontracting, a clause in the final rule that could be a practical alternative to networks, say industry experts.
- Sunrise Medical's Respiratory Division Becomes DeVilbiss Healthcare May 14, 2007
- On Thursday, Sunrise Medical announced that it will split the company into two separate organizations — Sunrise Mobility, which will supply mobility equipment alongside the A.R.T. Group portfolio, and DeVilbiss Healthcare, which will offer the DeVilbiss respiratory and sleep therapy product lines.
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Impairs Slow Wave Activity During Sleep May 14, 2007
- A new study in the May 1 issue of the journal SLEEP reported that chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) has been associated with altered amounts of slow wave sleep, which could reflect reduced electroencephalograph (EEG) activity and impaired sleep regulation.
- ACCREDITATION CORNER: Chesapeake Medical Staffing Earns JCAHO Gold Seal May 14, 2007
- Chesapeake Medical Staffing, a firm that provides temporary workers to address the ongoing shortage of respiratory care practitioners and other health care professionals, recently underwent an extensive on-site review of compliance with the Joint Commission of Accreditation of Hospital Organizations (JCAHO).
- VGM Launches Competitive Bidding Web Site May 11, 2007
- Having trouble wrapping your mind around the 401-page final rule on competitive bidding? The VGM Group can help. The organization recently launched a section of its Web site devoted to information and tips on competitive bidding.
- CHAD Therapeutics' BONSAI Conserver Gets OK from FDA May 11, 2007
- The BONSAI OXYPneumatic conserver, the star of CHAD Therapeutics' booth at Medtrade Spring, received official FDA 510(k) clearance last week.
- Oxygen Patients Get Online Community May 11, 2007
- If you've been looking for an online community for your oxygen customers, check out the new Web site OxygeNation.com, which offers an interactive network for those affected by lung disease.
- CHAD Therapeutics Launches New Plant-Named Oxygen Conserving Device May 1, 2007
- At Medtrade Spring in Las Vegas, CHAD Therapeutics added another product to its lineup sporting a plant-friendly name — the BONSAI OXYPneumatic Conserver.
- Cirrus Data Introduces Sleep Disorder Alliance Group for Online Lead Generation May 1, 2007
- Cirrus Data Management, a company that offers online lead generation for home health providers, recently launched the Sleep Disorder Alliance Group. The new offering joins the company’s two other lead generation programs for mobility and diabetes.
- CMS Reviews NCD for CPAP Therapy May 1, 2007
- On March 14, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced it was reviewing its national coverage determination regarding the diagnosis of patients with OSA requiring CPAP therapy.
- Coverage Revoked for Compounded Inhalation Solutions May 1, 2007
- In March, the DMAC Web sites and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) coverage database published a revised medical policy on nebulizers.
