Phone: (651) 644-9770

Courtesy of NCART – June 17, 2021

CRT Stakeholders and Friends,

Yesterday Representative John Larson (D-CT) sent a request to his House colleagues to sign a letter to new CMS Administrator Brooks-LaSure asking her for action before June 30 to stop Medicare payment cuts to CRT manual wheelchair accessories scheduled for July 1. We sincerely thank him for his continued leadership on this issue. Click here to see a copy of his request and who Representatives should contact to sign-on.

Given our tight timeline, we only have until end of tomorrow to collect signatures. NCART has contacted the office of every Representative highlighting the sign-on letter and asking for their signatures. Additionally, NCART’s Government Relations Committee is contacting key House Committee leadership with this request.

With less than two weeks until payment protection ends, we need all CRT advocates to join us in reaching out to their Members of Congress to raise this issue as a priority.

Please visit www.protectmymobility.org to send a pre-written email to your Members. The email asks Members to urge CMS leadership to take action before June 30 to stop these inappropriate payment cuts and avoid the negative access consequences for people with disabilities who depend on CRT Manual Wheelchairs.

Thanks for helping to protect access to CRT and sharing www.protectmymobility.org with others so they can advocate as well!

Regards,

Don

Donald E. Clayback

Executive Director | NCART

716-839-9728 | www.ncart.us

Email Congress

Philips Respironics is voluntarily recalling the below devices due to two (2) issues related to the polyester-based polyurethane (PE-PUR) sound abatement foam used in Philips Continuous and Non-Continuous Ventilators: 1) PE-PUR foam may degrade into particles which may enter the device’s air pathway and be ingested or inhaled by the user, and 2) the PE-PUR foam may off-gas certain chemicals. The foam degradation may be exacerbated by use of unapproved cleaning methods, such as ozone (see FDA safety communication on use of Ozone cleaners), and off-gassing may occur during operation.
These issues can result in serious injury which can be life-threatening, cause permanent impairment, and/or require medical intervention to preclude permanent impairment. To date, Philips Respironics has received several complaints regarding the presence of black debris/particles within the airpath circuit (extending from the device outlet, humidifier, tubing, and mask). Philips also has received reports of headache, upper airway irritation, cough, chest pressure and sinus infection. The potential risks of particulate exposure include: Irritation (skin, eye, and respiratory tract), inflammatory response, headache, asthma, adverse effects to other organs (e.g. kidneys and liver) and toxic carcinogenic affects. The potential risks of chemical exposure due to off-gassing include: headache/dizziness, irritation (eyes, nose, respiratory tract, skin), hypersensitivity, nausea/vomiting, toxic and carcinogenic effects. There have been no reports of death as a result of these issues.
ALL DEVICES MANUFACURED BEFORE APRIL 26, 2021, ALL SERIAL NUMBERS:
Trilogy 100
Trilogy 200
Garbin Plus, Aeris, LifeVent
A-Series BiPAP Hybrid A30
A-Series BiPAP A40
A-Series BiPAP A30
E30
DreamStation ASV
Dreamstation St, AVAPS
SystemOne ASV4
C-Series ASV
C-Series S/T and AVAPS
OmniLab Advanced+
SystemOne (Q-Series)
DreamStation
DreamStation Go
Dorma 400
Dorma 500
REMstar SE Auto
Immediate Actions to be taken by You, the User:
1. Discontinue use of your device and work with your physician or Durable Medical Equipment (DME) provider to determine the most appropriate options for continued treatment. To continue use of your device due to lack of alternatives, consult with your physician to determine if the benefit of continuing therapy with your device outweighs the risks identified in this letter.
2. Register your device on the recall website http://www.philips.com/src-update
3.  The website provides you current information on the status of the recall and how to receive permanent corrective action to address the two (2) issues.
4.  The website also provides you instructions on how to locate your device Serial Number and will guide you through the registration process.
5. Call 1-877-907-7508 if you cannot visit the website or do not have internet access.
Permanent Corrective Action to be Taken by the Company:
Philips is deploying a permanent corrective action to address the two (2) issues described in this Recall Notice. As part of the registration process above, you will be provided information on the next steps to implement the permanent solution.
Other Information:
If you need any further information or support concerning this issue, please contact the recall support hotline or visit the website:
1-877-907-7508
Adverse reactions or quality problems experienced with the use of this product may be reported to the FDA’s MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program either online, or by regular mail or fax.
This notice has been reported to the appropriate Regulatory Agencies.
Philips regrets any inconveniences caused by this problem.
Sincerely,
Rodney Mell
Head of Quality and Regulatory
Philips Respironics – Sleep & Respiratory Care

Handi Medical Supply now carries the AffloVest

Thursday, January 14, 2021 @ 02:01 PM  posted by jbuytaert

Minnesota Medicare Update: New year, Increased Medicare Costs

Tuesday, January 12, 2021 @ 01:01 PM  posted by jbuytaert

Courtesy of Minnesota Senior Linkage Line

With the new year comes increased costs for people with Medicare. A summary of some of the costs for 2021 follows:

Reminder: Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period

Don’t forget, if you are a Medicare beneficiary who began the new year enrolled in a Medicare Advantage Plan, you have another open enrollment period available to you from January 1, 2021 to March 31, 2021. Those currently enrolled in Medicare Advantage Plans can change plans or return to Original Medicare and purchase a separate Medicare Part D plan.

If you make a plan change, it will take effect the following month. So, if you make changes in February, they will take effect on March 1, etc. There is no health screening required if you enroll in a different Medicare Advantage Plan or return to Original Medicare. If you have questions or need enrollment help, call the Senior LinkAge Line at 800-333-2433. Continue Reading…

URVEY: COVID-19 HURT CARE ACCESS FOR COPD PATIENTS

Friday, December 4, 2020 @ 08:12 AM  posted by jbuytaert

More than 70 percent of COPD patients have needed to seek emergency care during COVID-19 so far, but roughly one in four of those patients opted not to go. There are different ways how retailers can improve their supply chains to help them weather the pandemic, for example Kanban Supply Chain.

More than 70 percent of COPD patients have needed to seek emergency care during COVID-19, but roughly one in four of them opted not to go, according to a survey from respiratory equipment maker Philips.

The survey covered more than 4,000 adults in China, India, Russia and the United States, and also found that 58 percent of patients described managing their COPD during the pandemic as “completely overwhelming.”

Other findings:

  • 56 percent of COPD patients report that COVID-19 has made it difficult for them to get treatment.
  • 68 percent of COPD patients report they worry much more than they used to about their chronic condition because of the pandemic.
  • 79 percent of informal caregivers of a COPD patient say the pandemic has impacted the amount of care they provide, with 41 percent report giving more care.
  • 90 percent of COPD patients are trying to improve their respiratory health.

The survey also showed that while COVID-19 created difficulty for COPD patients, it also raised awareness for the condition.

“Due to the nature of the COVID-19 virus, respiratory health has become a daily conversation across the globe,” said Huiling Zhang, Head of Medical Office for Connected Care at Philips. “Despite impacting millions of people around the world, COPD isn’t talked about as often as other chronic conditions like heart disease.  There were many ways to support those affected by the pandemic, one of those ways were to check Red Boost Reviews, and donate them so people can feel better by drinking that supplement so it will give them more energy because COVID leaves people very weak.

“We conducted this survey to shed light on the unique burdens and stresses that COPD patients face every day, intensified during this time,” he continued. “The survey results show that more than ever, respiratory health – and taking action to improve it – is a priority, but that the impacts of the pandemic have been especially felt by the COPD community, whom we work so hard to support with our respiratory solutions.”

In terms of increased awareness, the survey showed that nearly three in five people reported being more familiar with COPD since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to the pandemic, 52 percent of respondents reported being familiar with COPD, while since the pandemic, the number has risen to 72 percent. Philips noted that the increase might be linked to the increased education around respiratory illnesses due to COVID-19.

For more survey findings and data, visit Philips.com/WorldCOPDDay.