Archive - December 2019

Happy Holidays from Essentially Women

An increasing amount of suppliers are looking at the potential of selling CBD. Part one of this two-part series was featured last week. This week focuses on legal issues surrounding the sale and use of CBD. Jeffrey S. Baird gives an overview of what federal and state law say about the sale and use of CBD. Read the full story from Medtrade. 

New research was recently reported on the effects of yoga in women with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy. The researchers found that participating in weekly yoga sessions can help reduce nausea and sleep problems and improve wellbeing.  For the study, a diverse group of women with stage-I to -III breast cancer scheduled to undergo neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy at Mount Sinai Chelsea Cancer Center were randomly assigned to start yoga immediately (12 weekly 60-minute yoga classes,

New DMEPOS HCPCS codes have been added to the HCPCS file effective January 1, 2020.  One of the new codes that was added is L8033 PO- Nipple prosthesis, custom fabricated, reusable, any material, any type, each. Until national Medicare coverage and payment guidelines have been established for these new codes, there are no fees added to the DMEPOS fee schedule file for new HCPCS codes effective January 1, 2020. The Medicare coverage and payment determinations for these items are made

By: Beth Cox Hollingsworth, Director of Operations, VGM Marketing When the Essentially Women team asked me write about productivity and balance, I half wondered if they remembered that I was a new mom learning how to juggle it all. With the adoption of our beautiful boy complete, my husband and I thought that maybe it would all slow down a little bit. Nope. We were wrong. Preschool, doctors’ appointments, playdates, family time, date nights, work obligations, and oh yes, how about the never-ending

As more DME suppliers are looking at the potential of selling CBD, it's important to know the basics of the product and whether or not it would be beneficial for their individual businesses. Jeffrey S. Baird provides his insight on the subject in this two-part series from Medtrade.  Click here to read the full Medtrade article.

A new analysis of a 50,000-participant study shows that the use of permanent hair dye or hair straightening chemicals were both associated with a higher risk for breast cancer than 'never use' - and the risks are particularly pronounced among black women. Medscape recently wrote an article about this study. "Hair products contain more than 5000 chemicals, including some with mutagenic and endocrine-disrupting properties such as aromatic amines," senior author Alexandra

As the industry is in the midst of open enrollment, VGM's Ronda Buhrmester reminds Medicare suppliers that they have until December 31, 2019 to change their enrollment status to non-participating. In a recent VGM Government update, Ronda explains that being enrolled as a participating supplier means that the supplier accepts the Medicare fee schedule and will bill all claims on an assigned basis. Being enrolled as a non-participating supplier, however, means there are options for the

It's no secret that Amazon has become a major competitor within the HME industry. While it may seem that they are nearly impossible to compete with, Colton Mason provides a list of five ways that HME providers can compete with Amazon, including: Use the one-hour photo strategy. Highlight your expertise. Become the first choice of your referral sources. Offer reimbursement assistance. Emphasize the personal touch in patient assessments. Click here to read the full

On December 12, the Lymphedema Treatment Act was passed the House of Representatives with a vote of 230 to 192. The LTA bill was recently rolled into H.R. 3, the Lower Drug Costs Now Act of 2019. H.R. 3 provides the authority, mandate and tools for the Secretary of Health and Human Services to negotiate to lower the price of drugs and caps annual out-of-pocket costs in Medicare Part D. The language for the Lymphedema Treatment Act is included by expanding