DME/HME Support Services Page Index Business Issues Comprehensive Support Services Decision Support Services HME/DME Surveys Business Issues DME (retail) and HME businesses are facing some of the greatest challenges of any alternate site service component. The large number of providers who rely on Medicare supplier status for core business and/or the adoption of fee schedules based on Medicare allowables has enabled CMS policy changes to dramatically impact business results. The implementation of various new commercial fee schedules has also added to confusion over what is appropriate pricing for products and services. In addition, the costs and logistics of attaining and maintaining accreditation have implications for all facets of a currently non-accredited business. Newly accredited businesses also need to know how to leverage that status to become more competitive. These factors, combined with many company-specific considerations, need to be addressed in planning for 2007. Comprehensive Support Services The key business issues supported by TMG services include: Meeting new DMEPOS quality standards thru accreditation Preparing for Medicare competitive bidding Acquisitions and network formation Revising price lists and commercial contract terms and pricing Changing business plans in response to market changes Planning and implementing selected technologies Procurement processes and inventory management systems Sales and management training Billing process audits and QA programs Go to top of page Decision Support Services Making business decisions, whether operational or revenue-related, without an appropriate way to evaluate the financial impact has been an Industry-wide problem. As reimbursement pressure increases for many conventional services, providers need to find independent ways to make pricing decisions in order to protect their businesses. TMG was one of the first support services to offer pricing support services based on business models. In just about every case, your decisions are impacted by special circumstances that cannot be addressed by a "one size fits all" model. It is very important to take a basic model and customize it for the business or service locations impacted by the decisions. Once customized, and all of the model assumptions are under the provider's control, the results become much more accurate and the model becomes a continuously improving tool for future decision-making. Pricing Models Pricing decisions need to be supported with factual data and analytical tools that incorporate all the essential business factors then simplify pricing decisions. These decisions need to be consistent with profit expectations and they must make sense for the provider and the payor. Various pricing strategies are supported including fee-for-service, per diem, capitation, and other risk sharing arrangements. TMG provides decision support tools and services in the following areas: Price determination - How to determine what pricing level is appropriate for individual services and payors, and the overall profit and loss impact of different pricing levels on your business Pricing strategies - Which services to include, defining what's included and not included in the prices Contract terms and negotiations - The revenue and profit impact of most pricing agreements is also determined by the contract terms - we can help with strategies for maximizing all the contract terms Contract performance monitoring - How to track new agreements in financial terms over time so you determine the best course of action to solve referral mix or reimbursement problems as soon as they occur Go to top of page HME/DME Surveys Surveys are conducted periodically for clients to measure referral patterns, customer satisfaction, and a variety of other business parameters. Each survey is password protected and your password will take you to the appropriate survey. Click on the button below and enter your user ID (e-mail address) and password. Click Here to Access the Survey Entry page: Contact Information Mark R. Riddell Managing Director The Marrell Group 395 Sawdust Rd., #2129 The Woodlands, TX 77380 Phone: (281) 296-1650 Office; (832) 724-8267 Cell E-mail: mriddell@marrellgroup.com Go to top of page Copyright 2005 - 2007 The Marrell Group