COVID-19

The Power of Plan B: Developing a Good Contingency Plan By Megan Matijevich, Manager Marketing Communications American Board for Certification in Orthotics, Prosthetics & Pedorthics If there’s one thing we’ve learned from the COVID-19 curveball that hit businesses worldwide was that everyone needs a plan B…or even a plan C or D. Fires, floods, and tornados are some of the events that often come to mind when discussing contingency plans, certainly not year-long

Originally featured in “VGM Playbook: Forecasting 2021” by VGM & Associates, vice president of Essentially Women, Nikki Jensen, discusses how telehealth will most likely continue to be used in the women's health industry post-pandemic. You can access the full playbook here.  The past year has been hard. There was no guidebook to reference, and no amount of Google searching could have predicted the entirety of what 2020 would bring. This past year has also introduced us to

An interview with Tony Santangelo, Updox and Eric Mongeau, Aeroflow In February 2020, telehealth wasn’t exactly what you’d call a buzzword. The COVID-19 pandemic has made the HME and Respiratory industries adapt to a new way of doing business. Many parts of the country had shelter-in-place orders and many of our businesses shifted staff from the office to home environments, when possible. Understandably so, patients were hesitant to visit healthcare providers during the onset of the

The deadline to apply for the HHS Provider Relief Fund for Medicaid/CHIP providers who did not receive any relief payments during the Medicare-based General Distribution has been extended until September 13th, 2020. Providers who have been adversely impacted by COVID-19, meet all of the other eligibility requirements, and can agree to the terms and conditions associated with the program are encouraged to apply for this relief fund. Originally, the application deadline was August 28th. Click here

There have been a few changes to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) since April. In our recent Town Hall Webinar, Craig Douglas went over this program in detail. The application window for this program was closed for the second time on August 8th. Watch the Recording      Slide Deck To refresh your memory, the PPP has a max loan size equivalent to 2.5 times the employer’s average monthly payroll, up to $10 million. The PPP loans have an interest rate of 1%.

As businesses reopen, you may be calling back employees who were placed on a temporary layoff or furlough due to COVID-19. What do you do if you have employees who refuse to come to work? They may have concerns about getting COVID-19, have issues with childcare, or they may be making more money on unemployment. Each state may differ in their policies on Unemployment Insurance. Check with your state department of labor to see if they have a policy on an employee’s refusal to return to work

August 3rd seems to be an important date for CMS. On August 3rd, the DME MACs, SMRC, and RAC will be able to resume audit activity.  Here is a recent update from the “Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Provider Burden Relief Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)” that are attached as well.  Prior Authorizations will resume as business as usual for PMDs and Group 2 Support Surfaces.  Also, the lower limb prosthetics (6 codes) will begin prior authorization activity

By: Nikki Jensen and Kayla Mahler What a quarter! Our lives have drastically changed since the beginning of March. For the majority of Essentially Women members, our businesses either closed, converted to appointment-only business while using drop ship or curbside pickup services, or became busier than ever on the pharmacy or DME-side of the business. Many of you have spent countless hours researching, navigating and applying for various government programs meant for small businesses, including

By: Miriam Lieber, Lieber Consulting This article was originally featured in the 2nd Quarter 2020 issue of Essential Advantage. In these unusual times, life for Essentially Women is nothing short of challenging. As essential service providers, most of you work directly with customers. During a conversation with a boutique owner, she mentioned that she is carefully evaluating every single expense. In addition, we discussed how she can hone her business practices, ensuring she is operationally

By Cassi Price, Manager of Marketing Strategy, VGM Forbin This article was first featured in "VGM Playbook: Technology and the Patient Care Continuum" “If it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you.” – Fred DeVito It’s safe to say that we’ve all been personally challenged and changed by the pandemic of 2020. When this is all said and done, you’ll ask yourself—did your business rise to the challenge and adapt technology to accommodate