In This Issue
Call for Nominations
CAMPS 2012 Annual Convention Recap
Final Rule on Supplier Standards
Raising Alarm about Round Two
Unveiling Hope: CEO Reveals Impact of Bidding to Policymakers
OIG Says Use of Discount Coupons is Permissible


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California HME Update
Call for Nominations for the 2012-2013 CAMPS Board of Directors
 

The CAMPS 2012-2013 Board of Directors Elections will begin by taking nominations of interested parties by no later than April 20. The election is done by ballot, which voting members should receive in the first part of May with all ballots due back to the CAMPS office on or before May 31.

 

Six board positions will be up for election to a two-year term. If you are interested in being placed on the ballot, please submit your interest to the CAMPS office by the April 20 deadline with a bio and brief statement on what you think qualifies you to serve on the board.

 

 

The CAMPS Nominating Committee requests your assistance. As a member of the California Association of Medical Product Suppliers, you are in a special position to assist CAMPS' Nominating Committee in preparing a list of nominees for the 2012-13 Board of Directors election. If an individual should be considered for nomination to the CAMPS Board of Directors, we want to hear from you!

 

The membership elects directors from throughout the state, but the Nominating Committee does try to maintain a balance between different segments of the industry and geographic location, so those factors will be considered to determine the final candidate listing.

 

If elected, it will be to a two-year term. There are six open Director positions.

 

Elections will take place by ballot. Each member eligible to vote will receive a ballot the first part of May and must complete and return the ballot post marked by May 31.

 

If you would like to offer names for consideration or have any questions, please contact Gloria Peterson, CAMPS Staff, at (916) 443-2115 ext. 104 NO LATER THAN APRIL 20. Thank you for your input. 


CAMPS 2012 Annual Convention a Success!

The California Association of Medical Product Suppliers (CAMPS) 6th Annual Convention held on March 15-16, 2012 was a huge success! Over 100 HME providers and staff members across the state gathered at the Hilton Irvine to engage in stimulating education sessions from distinguished speakers.  

 

By review of attendee evaluations, session topics most valued were:

 

Using Data to Maximize Profitability - Miriam Lieber

State of the State - CAMPS Executive Director, Bob Achermann

"A Different Kind of Cool" - Keynote Speaker, Jack Gallagher

Leveraging Compliance Programs to Protect Your Business - Wayne van Halem

CAMPS Roundtable & Committee Development   

 

Convention Raffle Winners:

 

 

Frank Bravo with Wishing Well Products received the coveted Exhibitor raffle prize donated by HME Solution: the iPad 2! Special thanks to HME Solution for the generous contribution.

 

Jenny Fry with ATG Rehab received DMETRAIN's $50 Best Buy giftcard prize as the first winner of the Convention Evaluation drawing.

 

David Guth with Home Respiratory Care received Healthcare Quality Association on Accreditation's (HQAA) $50 Best Buy giftcard prize as the second winner of the Convention Evaluation drawing.

 

Exhibitors:

 

   

There were 36 different durable medical equipment and industry-related companies exhibiting during our two-day conference. Exhibitor reception was a hit with attendees as they traveled from booth to booth networking with the company representatives. CAMPS is very appreciative of industry support, as we are a membership organization of HME providers in search of the best quality of healthcare for our patients.

   

Big thank you to 2012 Convention Sponsors!

  • Brightree LLC - Speaker Sponsor
  • DMETRAIN - Speaker Sponsor
  • Fisher & Paykel Healthcare - Speaker Sponsor
  • Healthcare Quality Assoc. on Accreditation - Evaluation Raffle Sponsor
  • HME Solution - Exhibitor Raffle Sponsor
  • Invacare Corporation - Silver & Speaker Sponsor
  • Permobil, Inc. - Gold Sponsor
  • Pride Mobility Products Corp. - Silver & Rehab Track Sponsor
  • ResMed Corp - Friend of CAMPS
  • Rifton Equipment - Gold Sponsor
  • Strategic AR - Speaker Sponsor
  • The MedGroup - Respiratory Track Sponsor
  • VGM & Associates - Speaker Sponsor

2013 Annual Convention Save the Date information coming soon!  

 

 

 

 

Health Law Center Press Release on Supplier Standard 11 Prohibition on Patient Contact after Physician Referral

Please click here to view the Press Release issued by Neil Caesar, an attorney for the Health Law Center - a national health law practice in Greenville, NC. For more information on the Health Law Center, see www.healthlawcenter.com.

 

 

 
Raising Alarm about Round Two - Meet with Lawmakers during Break
Take this opportunity to meet with lawmakers and their staff to discuss the value of homecare and dangers in the Medicare HME bidding program as the problems from Round One threaten to spread to 91 additional areas throughout the U.S.  Congress is in recess until April 16, which means that many of them will be back in their home states and districts attending public meetings.  

Specifically, educate your Senators and Representative about problems you had with the Round Two bid process. It's also important to tell your federal legislators how the bidding program will negatively affect your patients and business.

Because this is a big election year, speak to candidates running for office as well as the incumbents.  Candidates will be especially attentive to constituents' concerns.

Remember, state lawmakers also influence HME policy in the state Medicaid systems. So it's wise to educate them about homecare policies, too. State lawmakers often run for federal office, and many of them will eventually serve in Congress.

Information courtesy of AAHomecare. Contact [email protected] if you have questions or feedback from congressional meetings.
 

 

 

Unveiling Hope: CEO Reveals Impact of Bidding to Policymakers

Meeting with both federal and state policymakers, Kathleen Weir Vale, CEO of Hope Medical Supply, has been busy fighting competitive bidding and advocating for other homecare issues.  

In March, she met in Texas with a staff member for HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and shared her concerns about the bidding program. She wrote a letter that was hand delivered to Sebelius that details Vale's experience as a provider that employs nearly 50 people in San Antonio and Corpus Christi, Texas.  

Vale's letter states, in part:

"We are asking CMS to take further reimbursement cuts to DME off the table.  We are already struggling with reduced reimbursement and further cuts will be disastrous.  If competitive bidding continues and further reimbursement cuts take effect, estimated job loss is huge.  CMS itself has estimated that 9 out of 10 DME providers will be eliminated from the Medicare program as a result of its competitive bidding plan, which would result in the elimination of over 100,000 jobs nationwide."

Vale comments, "It's important to remember that elective officials at all levels - local, state, and federal - are honor-bound to represent the citizenry.  If we fail to communicate our problems to them, we are not exercising our right and, in fact, our duty as their constituents. There are many politically active individuals from the HME sector, but for every one who advocates, there are probably 100 who are 'checked out' and have no idea that they can have an impact.  Now, more than ever, is the time for all good HME providers to stand up and be heard."

Vale also hosted a facility tour for a Texas state legislator, Rep. Pete Gallego, who is a candidate for the 23rd congressional district in Texas.  Vale says, "He took a tour of Hope Medical Supply and learned about the difficulties our sector has been experiencing over the past 15 years."

Vale is right on every point and we encourage all members to participate in these types of policy meetings to discuss the value of homecare and problems with the bidding program.

 

Content courtesy of AAHomecare 

 

OIG Says Use of Discount Coupons is Permissible Under Certain Circumstances
The Office of Inspector General (OIG) posted Advisory Opinion No. 12-02 on March 27, 2012. In this Advisory Opinion, the OIG concluded that providers may post discount coupons on websites for their services and products that patients may download and utilize, so long as appropriate safeguards are in place. The Requestor of the Advisory Opinion proposed to contract with Physicians and other providers and suppliers who want to post discount coupons for health care items or services on the Requestor's website. According to the Requestor, coupons may include discounts on items or ervices that are reimbursable by Federal health care programs; such as Medicare, Medicaid, Medicaid waiver and TriCare; if they comply with all applicable requirements. Coupons for free items or services are prohibited.

Please click here for the full article. 

 

 

Medtrade Still Offering HME Providers Discounts on Medtrade Spring 2012
HME providers looking to make last-minute travel plans to Las Vegas for Medtrade Spring 2012 can still get a valuable freebie.