For those who missed medtrade spring last month, boy did you miss a good time! the educational sessions were packed, the exhibit hall was bustling, and the new venue—the Las Vegas Convention Center—really made this “baby” Medtrade look and feel like the big show in Atlanta.

Exhibitors, attendees, and organizers seemed to be all smiles, and why shouldn’t they be? Attendance was up 42% since 2000, major manufacturers were having a great year despite the recession, and HME dealers I spoke to were not hurting either.

Yet all this bonhomie left an uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach. If the HME industry could look so healthy to the casual observer, how would it look to money-hungry Medicare and Medicaid administrators?

According to the Medicare Board of Trustees financial report, Medicare spending for DME grew 20% in 2002 to $6.5 billion. And unfortunately, if past experience is any guide, a sizable jump in Medicare DME spending plus reduced tax revenues from a weak economy often add up to cuts in Medicare reimbursement and allegations of fraud in the HME industry.

To help protect against such a scenario, the HME industry needs to gain recognition as a legitimate health care provider by policing itself with licensure and accreditation requirements, say some. Are they right? C.A. Wolski examines the pros and cons of licensure and accreditation in “In the Balance” starting on page 28. Take a look and decide for yourself.

Lena Lindahl
llindahl@medpubs.com