According to Carl Willoughby, Pulmonary Rehabilitation Director of Mad River Community Hospital, "CMS (Medicare) has been reducing the reimbursement to Durable Medical Equipment providers over the past decade." As a result, reimbursement levels may not allow DMEs to provide the new technology to the very patients who need it, which Willoughby says is "an unintended result of the government trying to save money."

In addition, competitive bidding for providing outpatient oxygen services has been legislated into place. Willoughby says, "This will drive all the small and medium companies out of business leaving only one or two mega oxygen companies standing." Some believe this competitive bidding will ultimately result in no competition and more incentive to provide only the cheapest, low-tech equipment, again a disservice to the patients who need up-to-date care.


The respiratory industry, large as it is, seems to be focusing most of its improvements in downsizing their equipment. The current state of the economy hasn't affected the industry much because there will always be a need for respiratory machinery. With the daunting health care reforms on the horizon, the state of independent supplier organizations comes into question. However, for the time being, even though the health care providers' demand for new equipment may not be high at this time, refurbished respiratory equipment can offer 'good-as-new' stock at affordable prices, giving facilities and patients a reason to breathe easy.

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DOTmed Registered Respiratory Equipment Sales & Service Companies
Names in boldface are Premium Listings.

Domestic
Susan Nelson, Air Lift & CareFore Medical, CO
Judy Engle, Frontier Medical, Inc., CO
DOTmed Certified
Del Tillman, American Telemedicine Association, DC
Ken Johnston, Delta Technology, Inc., GA
Chris Bridges, Colossus Medical, GA
Bill Rosas, Midwest Biomedical Resources, Inc., IL
Jerry Riley, DRE, Inc., KY
Ana Ortega, General Biomedical Service, Inc., LA
Asif Bhinder, tekyard, MN
Kim Zipse, CareFusion, MN
Don Grimm, Bemes, Inc., MO
DOTmed Certified/100
Paul Fau, First American Medical Equipment, NJ
Ray Carter, Hospital Equipment 4U, NC
DOTmed Certified
John Wittenberg, Inventory Solutions, Inc., NY
DOTmed Certified
George Rebitski, Predictable Surgical, OH
Mark Brinkerhoff, Marco Systems, OH
David Zobeck, Lancaster General College of Nursing and Health Sciences, PA
Nelson Shertzer, Medical Support Products, Inc., PA
DOTmed Certified
Chad Looney, Canyon Drive Sales, TX
DOTmed Certified
Rick Weekley, US Med-Equip, TX
DOTmed Certified
Juan Sandoval, Monterrey Medical Equipment, Inc., TX
Jake Mathews, Impact Biomedical, TX
Bill Murdock, VIP Medical, Inc., VA

International
Argie Valenzuela, Mideast Medical Equipment, Philippines

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