Part II of a two-part analysis of the first round of competitive bidding: The HME Media Group continued its analysis of round one by examining 23 product codes across round one's 10 CBAs.
Late last night, the Senate considered approving H.R. 6331 — the bill to delay competitive bidding that was approved by a majority vote earlier this week. The senators were not able to agree to suspend the rules to consider the bill because of reported certainty that the excessive last-minute add-ons to the bill would force President Bush to veto the legislation, according to industry sources.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) may be sticking to its guns about the merits of competitive bidding, but the significant problems with the program have not escaped the HME industry or members of Congress. Initially, the industry was outraged by the number of providers disqualified for missing financial information — information providers said they submitted. As analysis continues, however, other problems are popping up.
People with severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) on commercial airline flights may have a greater risk of adverse events from cardiac stress than healthy people, according to research presented at the American Thoracic Society's 2008 International Conference in Toronto.
Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have defined a new type of immune response that is activated in patients with COPD and severe asthma.
On Thursday, AAHomecare hosted a media advisory telephone briefing in which the organization discussed the lawsuit and congressional action to delay competitive bidding.
