Alpine awarded with title of "Best HME Provider" by the HME Excellence committee.

This year Alpine is pleased to hold the title of “Best HME Provider” presented by the HME Excellence committee (HME News). The committee made their decision based on a variety of qualifications, including average annual rate of sales growth in the past two years, average pre-tax profit margin over the last three years, memberships, leadership positions, non-profit community involvement, and more. The award was announced at this year’s MedTrade conference, during “Power of Funding.”

HME News Article:

Meet Alpine Home Medical Equipment, winner of the 2011 HME Excellence Awards for best HME provider. President Jay Broadbent says he’s had his share of successes--and failures--along the way.

Broadbent will share his failures, too. Like the time he signed up his team to exhibit at the Utah State Fair.

“It was 10 days straight, and we had to man it from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.,” he recalls. “We were pooped. We didn’t get a single sale from that thing.”

His willingness to risk failure originates in Broadbent’s business philosophy: “If you’re not growing, you’re dying.”

That focus on growth has paid off--Broadbent estimates that Alpine Home Medical is growing about 40% a year and they’ve just secured a large state contract.

“It’s a big deal for us as a company,” he says. “We’re adding four more branches and close to 20 people to take on this contract.”

That’s in addition to Alpine Home Medical’s current 100 employees in seven branches throughout Utah. The 14-year-old full-service provider also has a retail store in most of its branches.

The company uses open book management, allowing all employees to look up its P&L statement at any time.

“It’s where can we do better? How can we reduce costs?” says Broadbent. I’m always amazed at the (providers) who don’t know their business, who don’t break down their financials every month and look at their strengths and weaknesses.”

Alpine Home Medical also emphasizes their role as a community partner, which is embodied by the comany’s B In Motion Foundation. It sponsors a yearly bicycle race to raise money to give wheelchairs to uninsured patients.

“It ties us back to our community,” Broadbent says. “We’re homegrown and that rings true in our market.” -HME News

Durable Medical Equipment Is 1.4% of Total Medicare Spending--and Falling

The Honorable Gene L. Dodaro, Letter to Congress

The Honorable Gene L. Dodaro

Comptroller General of the United States

441 G Street NW

Room 7100

Washington, DC 20548

Re: Medicare National Competitive Bidding

Dear General Dodaro:

We are writing to request an immediate and comprehensive review of the Medicare National

Competitive Bidding (NCB) program for durable medical equipment (DME) begun by the

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) with Round One on January 1, 2011.

In your review and report we ask that you consider and answer the following questions with

regard to Round One of NCB:

1. What is the impact on beneficiary access to quality and timely services?

2. What is the impact on jobs generally?

3. What is the impact on job loss for small DME businesses?

4. Should winning bidders be required to deliver products and services at their bid prices?

Should retail pharmacies be included in NCB?

5. Can NCB and the Affordable Care Act be synchronized?

6. Is NCB consistent with the demonstration projects conducted by Health Care Financing

Agency (HCFA), now CMS, in FL?

We further request that you consult with all interested parties and stakeholders, including but not limited to CMS, State Health Departments, beneficiaries, DME dealers, DME manufacturers, the Institute of Medicine, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

We understand the usual practice to share your report with the affected agency, in this case CMS, but ask that you not change your report based on CMS comments. Please deliver your report and CMS comments to this Committee by February 1, 2012.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

44(110 1 Rogers Denny Rehberg Chairman, Chairman, Appropriations Committee Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies

Program Can Reduce Older Adult Falls by 31%

Program Can Reduce Older Adult Falls by 31%

(Salt Lake City, UT) – Every day, an average of eight Utahns age 65 and older are hospitalized for injuries due to a fall. In 2010, there were 3,129 fall-related hospitalizations among older Utahns, costing more than $85 million in treatment charges. Falls were the leading cause of injury-related death among older adults in Utah. The Utah Department of Health (UDOH) wants to remind everyone that injuries from falls are largely preventable.

“Falls are not a normal part of aging,” said Trisha Keller, Program Manager for the UDOH Violence and Injury Prevention Program. “Most falls are preventable if we can teach older adults what hazards to remove in their homes and help them increase their strength and balance.”

Stepping On is a 7-week program now being implemented by local health departments across the state. The program focuses on empowering older adults to engage in health behaviors that reduce the risk of falling, such as removing tripping hazards in their homes and doing simple exercises to build strength and improve balance. And national research shows the program works: falls among study participants were reduced by 31 percent.

Seventy-five-year-old John “Charley” Jones joined a Stepping On class last year after noticing his balance wasn’t as good as it had been. “I tended to shuffle when I walked and thought I better try to preserve or improve on what I have so it didn’t get worse,” Jones said. “I would encourage others to take the class. The instructors made everyone feel comfortable and I never felt like an old, decrepit person there. The classes were not only informative and helpful, they were fun, too,” he added.

“Our goal is to help our citizens remain independent and healthy,” said Karen Jensen, a Stepping On instructor at the Utah County Health Department. “Even minor falls can have a dramatic impact on a person’s well-being and sense of safety.”

Several new Stepping On classes will begin in September and October. The classes are free and will be held at:

• Orem Friendship Center (93 North 400 East, Orem) every Friday beginning September 23, 2011 until November 4, 2011 from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. To register for the class, participants must be a member of the center. Call 801-229-7111.

• Springville Senior Center (65 East 200 South, Springville) every Friday beginning September 23, 2011 until November 4, 2011 from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. To register for the class, call 801-851-7095.

• North Davis Senior Activity Center (42 South State Street, Clearfield) every Thursday beginning October 13, 2011 until December 1, 2011 (except on Thanksgiving Day) from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. To register for the class, call 801-525-5076.

• Wasatch County Senior Citizens Building (465 East 1200 South, Heber City) every Tuesday beginning October 11, 2011 until November 22, 2011 from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. To register for the class, call 435-657-3312.

The UDOH recommends four basic steps to reduce the risk of falls:

• Begin a regular exercise program. Exercise improves strength and balance,as well as coordination.

• Have your health care provider review your medicines. Some medicines or combinations of medicines can make you sleepy or dizzy and cause you to fall.

• Have your vision checked. Have your eyes checked by an eye doctor at least once a year. Poor vision can increase your chances of falling.

• Make your home safer. Remove tripping hazards like throw rugs and clutter in walkways as well as books and papers from stairs. Install grab bars next to your toilet and shower.

Utah will join 43 other states in recognizing September 23, 2011 as Falls Prevention Awareness Day. For more information about falls or the Stepping On program, visithttp://health.utah.gov/vipp/olderAdults/overview.html.

Media Contact:

Jenny Johnson

Violence & Injury Prevention Program

(o) 801-538-9416 (m) 801-298-1569

ALPINE HOME MEDICAL EQUIPMENT IS RECOGNIZED FOR ITS PATRIOTISM

http://www.alpinehomemedical.com/home-medical-equipment/alpine-home-medical-equipment-is-recognized-for-its-patriotism

STAY TUNED FOR POSITIVE RETAIL UPDATES AT ALPINE THAT WILL IMPROVE YOUR SHOPPING EXPERIENCE

ATLANTA - HME providers looking to improve their retail strategies will have a place at Medtrade to see tangible ideas on display.

The new "Home & Retail Design Center" on the exhibit floor will show providers how to showcase different product mixes, how to merchandise products in "like" categories and how to use attractive signage and fixtures. Rob Baumhover, director of retail programs for Waterloo, Iowa-based The VGM Group, says the center's purpose is to make HME providers more "shoppable" to customers.

"It's a cash business, first and foremost," he said. "With the growing number of cuts industry-wide, retail is becoming more and more essential to survive. Hopefully, through this exhibit, providers will see how to get the most out of their retail space and take some ideas on how traffic flow and effective merchandising can lead to a successful, profitable showroom."

Medtrade takes place Oct. 24-27 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta.

The center shares the same exhibit space as the Medtrade Accessible Home and is sponsored and staffed by Nationwide Homes, Accessible Home Improvement of America and VGM. Some of the product categories on display are pain management, respiratory, rehab accessories and wound care.

"When it comes to merchandising, it's important to keep like products and their add-ons together," Baumhover advised. "The most important thing to consider when it comes to merchandising is to remember the customer you're catering to--make sure aisles are extra wide and clear and don't put product too high or too low. Keeping things easily accessible and readily available is paramount."

Ultimately, the center was conceived "just to let providers know what options are available," Baumhover said.

"Times are tough," he said. "We all know this and experience it on a daily basis. I'd like to think that a strong retail business with good sales training and the right staff can be very profitable."

Medtrade launches Competitive Bidding Central

ATLANTA - Medtrade announced Sept. 16 that it will feature a new Competitive Bidding Central at this year's show. It is open to all attendees and exhibitors and offers presentations and one-on-one access to industry experts. Participants will also have access to a library of resources provided by Brown & Fortunato, The MED Group and The VGM Group.

Article written by HME News.

Salt Lake City in line for round 2 of Competitive Bidding: