People who are hospitalized for COPD and have diabetes are more likely to have longer hospital stays and to die than people who do not have diabetes, according to a new study.
A study in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine found that smokers who are exposed to wood smoke are at an increased risk of COPD, including DNA changes that further increase that risk.
Lincare Holdings, Clearwater, Fla., has accepted contracts with Medicare to provide oxygen equipment in two of the nine initial markets impacted by competitive bidding, specifically Charlotte, N.C., and Miami. This news comes at the same time the company announced better-than-expected quarterly earnings.
Invacare Corp.'s SOLO2 Transportable Concentrator has been approved by the Federal Aviation Administration for use on board passenger aircrafts.
Action against the competitive bidding program continued on Friday as protesters appeared at a fraud conference in Miami and the American Association for Homecare delivered a letter to top congressional leaders in Washington, D.C.
Rotech Healthcare, Orlando, Fla., has accepted 17 contracts awarded by CMS in the DMEPOS Competitive Bidding Program, including six contracts for oxygen and three for CPAP.
Reactions ran the gamut in the days following the announcement of the single payment amounts in the DMEPOS Competitive Bidding Program. Most were devastated about the impact the slashed rates will have on Medicare patients and small businesses around the nation. Meanwhile, the clock is ticking down on accepting the contract offers; providers are to respond by Friday, July 16. This story collects news about the deep cuts, the impact on Lincare stock, actions in Pennsylvania and the push for H.R. 3790.
A new study by Johns Hopkins University researchers suggests that cystic fibrosis patients recover from exacerbations just as well receiving antibiotic courses in a home setting as in a hospital.
The winning competitive bid amounts are out, but where can you get help sorting out what they mean to your business and the industry in general? Two top buying groups are offering the education you need, via webinars and in-person seminars.
Elyria, Ohio-based Invacare Corp. was ranked as one of the top 75 employers in Northeast Ohio by The Cleveland Plain Dealer, based on a survey of employees.
Confirming the industry’s widespread concern that the cuts would be deep, the bids represent an average 32 percent reduction in Medicare payment rates across different product categories, including oxygen and sleep therapy.
CMS issued in late June a proposed rule that changes payment policy for beneficiaries who have not reached the 36-month rental cap. The oxygen provider who receives payment in the 18th rental month or later must continue to furnish the equipment for the period of medical necessity or through the useful life of the equipment, which CMS has defined as five years.
At SLEEP 2010 earlier in June, Fisher & Paykel, Irvine, Calif., introduced the ICON line of CPAP therapy devices. According to the company, the three-model line can be applied in a variety of ways.
Lincare Holdings Inc.’s board of directors has approved the start of a quarterly cash dividend payable at an annual rate of 80 cents per share of common stock outstanding.
Circadiance, the maker of SleepWeaver cloth nasal CPAP masks, has become ISO 13485 certified. Coinciding with the certification, Circadiance launched SleepWeaver in Europe.