Bruno Acquires Swedish Manufacturer
Adding to its plants in Boras and Stenkullen, Sweden, as well as sales and distribution offices in Stockholm and Birmingham, England, Bruno Independent Living Aids Inc, Oconomowoc, Wis, purchased Autoadapt-Bev AB of Sweden on December 5.

“The acquisition is a great fit with Bruno,” says Michael Bruno, chairman and CEO of the lift, power chair, and scooter manufacturer. “Autoadapt is one of the largest companies in Europe in vehicle adaptation for the elderly and physically challenged. The business focuses on adaptations of cars, vans, and minibuses as well as being a manufacturer of adaptive products for vehicles.”

The deal is Bruno’s second acquisition in its 18-year history, and the company says it will continue to look for more opportunities. Eighty Autoadapt employees, including four in the United Kingdom, will join Bruno’s current staff of 300.

CMS Adds Ventilator Code
In a step toward offering more patient access to affordable home care technology, Pulmonetic Systems, Minneapolis—a member of the Coalition of Respiratory Care Manufacturers—worked with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to generate a new billing code that covers ventilators with certain advanced features.

The code, EO454, went into effect January 1 and reflects a higher level of reimbursement to providers who bill Medicare, Medicaid, and other third parties for pressure ventilators with pressure control, pressure support, and flow-triggering features. Coding instructions and reimbursement amounts for EO454 and other Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) code changes can be found on the CMS Web site, www.cms.gov.

Caire Sponsors LOX Education
Many HME providers are missing out on the opportunity to provide liquid oxygen (LOX) because they think it is difficult, costly, or both, according to Caire Inc, Burnsville, Minn.

Robert McCoy, RRT

To change this, the company will sponsor two educational programs focused on ambulatory oxygen and LOX applications economics in Orlando, Fla, on March 11 and in Houston on March 13. Each program will include four 1-hour lectures, and attendees may be able to gain continuing respiratory care education units through the American Association for Respiratory Care. The lectures, to be presented by Robert McCoy, RRT, will focus on providing appropriate therapy most efficiently. McCoy also made a presentation on LOX making a comeback at Medtrade.

Coloplast Restructures
This January rang in not only a new year for Coloplast, Denmark, but also restructured company operations and a consolidated, global breast form portfolio.

Research, development, and manufacturing for the company’s external breast forms are now centralized at the company’s production facility in Raubling, Germany. Global headquarters, textile design and development, and the US sales subsidiary and distribution facilities will continue to operate in Marietta, Ga. All textile products will be manufactured in an expanded facility in Costa Rica.

With the move, the company combined its European and North American product offerings and introduced a consolidated, global Amoena® breast form product portfolio.

FDA OKs Invacare Center-wheel Drive Wheelchair
In November, Invacare Corp, Elyria, Ohio, received 510(k) clearance from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on its Invacare® Storm Series® TDX™, which will eventually replace the company’s traditional rear-wheel drive power wheelchairs.

A center-wheel drive power wheelchair without the “tippiness” associated with most such models, the Storm Series TDX will be available for sale in May 2003.

The result of hundreds of hours of customer research, the Storm Series TDX represents “a dimensional change” in power wheelchair maneuverability, terrain capability, smoothness in ride, and power, says Hymie Pogir, vice president of marketing for custom power products.