VGM Group

What VGM Group does

VGM Group is a diversified business services company founded in 1986 by Van Miller in Waterloo, Iowa, and operating as a 100% employee-owned enterprise through an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) since 2008. The company serves the post-acute healthcare industry—primarily independent home medical equipment (HME) providers—through more than 20 business divisions spanning group purchasing, HME-specific insurance, patient care coordination, compliance and audit services, fulfillment logistics, professional education, web design, and marketing. Its largest unit, HOMELINK, coordinates DMEPOS (durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies) care for over 30 million patients annually with nearly 700 employee owners, while VGM Insurance has served the HME industry for 25+ years and the van Halem Group specializes in CMS audits, appeals, and competitive bidding navigation.

The company's revenue model combines recurring membership and subscription fees from its 2,500+ HME provider members, insurance premiums and brokerage commissions through VGM Insurance, managed-services revenue from HOMELINK's payer and community provider contracts, and professional services fees across compliance, audit, web design (VGM Forbin), retail science (VGM Retail), and training engagements. Distribution is sales-led via direct account management, the annual VGM Heartland Conference (1,000+ attendees), industry events such as Medtrade, association partnerships including AAHomecare, and grassroots legislative advocacy. VGM operates from a Waterloo, Iowa headquarters and additional offices in Dade City, Atlanta, Kansas City, Phoenix, and Toronto, with employee owners distributed across 41 states and Canada.

VGM's specialized divisions include U.S. Rehab (complex rehab technology with an exclusive license to the University of Pittsburgh Functional Mobility Assessment), People for Quality Care (Medicare beneficiary advocacy), Two Rivers Marketing, VGM Education, and Essentially Women (women's health member services, acquired 2015). The company was recognized as a Cognigy.AI Proactive AI Champion in 2026, has been ranked No. 4 Iowa Top Workplace in 2025 (previously No. 1 three times), and has earned six consecutive Cedar Valley Employer of Choice awards and four consecutive Best Place for Working Parents designations. Revenue is not publicly disclosed.

Name

VGM Group

Legal name

VGM Group, Inc.

Website

https://vgmgroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

VGM Group is a 100% employee-owned, diversified healthcare business services company operating 20+ divisions that deliver group purchasing, insurance, patient care coordination, compliance, fulfillment, and education services to 2,500+ independent HME providers across the U.S. and Canada.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Healthcare Business Services

NAICS

Ambulatory Health Care Services (621), Professional Organizations (81392)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Home Health Care Services (8082)

akta.pro primary industry

Post-Acute, Transitional Care & Readmissions Virtual Programs (Payer-Sponsored) (HLALACAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Home Health Remote Patient Monitoring & Virtual Nursing Providers (HLAFAEAN)

Keywords

• Healthcare business services
• Group purchasing organization
• Patient care coordination
• Home medical equipment services
• Healthcare compliance consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Waterloo

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Group Purchasing / Membership Fees: VGM Group originally founded as VGM & Associates, a group purchasing organization for independent home medical equipment providers. Revenue is generated through membership fees and group purchasing arrangements with manufacturers and suppliers, serving more than 2,500 HME members.
2. Insurance Services: VGM Insurance provides industry-specific insurance products and risk management services to HME providers. The division celebrated 25 years of serving the HME industry, offering coverage tailored to the home medical equipment sector.
3. Patient Care Coordination (HOMELINK): HOMELINK, a division of VGM, serves payers and credentialed community-based providers of DMEPOS, coordinating care for over 30 million patients annually.
4. Compliance, Audit & Appeals Services (The van Halem Group): The van Halem Group provides compliance, audits, appeals, and regulatory guidance services to HME providers navigating the complexities of CMS systems.
5. Web Design and Marketing (VGM Forbin): VGM Forbin provides web design and marketing services to healthcare and other industry clients.
6. Education & Training Programs: VGM provides educational conferences and training programs including the annual VGM Heartland Conference and U.S. Rehab training programs for complex rehab technology providers.
7. Fulfillment Services (VGM Fulfillment): VGM Fulfillment provides logistics and fulfillment services supporting the supply chain needs of healthcare providers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

VGM Group is a healthcare business services company that supports home medical equipment (HME) providers, complex rehab technology suppliers, and post-acute care businesses through more than a dozen specialized divisions. Its core offerings include group purchasing (VGM & Associates), patient care coordination (HOMELINK), commercial insurance (VGM Insurance), advocacy, education, marketing, and compliance/audit services, all designed to help independent providers operate profitably and remain compliant.

Product overview

VGM Group is a diversified post-acute healthcare services company operating as a platform of business units providing product distribution, patient care coordination, insurance, and business support services. The portfolio includes core divisions such as HOMELINK (patient care coordination serving 30M+ patients), VGM Insurance (HME industry insurance), VGM Fulfillment (logistics), and VGM Forbin (web design/marketing), along with specialized sub-brands including U.S. Rehab (complex rehab), The van Halem Group (compliance/audits), People for Quality Care (patient advocacy), VGM & Associates (group purchasing), VGM Retail (retail science), and VGM Education (training). The company serves healthcare providers ranging from independent businesses to global corporations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• HOMELINK: Patient care coordination and home medical equipment services division serving payers and credentialed community-based providers of DMEPOS.
• VGM Insurance
• VGM Fulfillment
• VGM Forbin
• U.S. Rehab
• People for Quality Care
• The van Halem Group
• VGM & Associates
• Two Rivers Marketing

Products and services

• VGM & Associates Group purchasing organization that negotiates pricing, contracts, and discounts on behalf of independent HME providers, giving members access to national-account pricing on supplies and services.
• HOMELINK Patient care coordination platform connecting patients, providers, and payers; simplifies the process of ordering home medical equipment and supplies and supports continuity of care through a national provider network.
• VGM Insurance Commercial insurance services for HME providers and related healthcare businesses, including product selection, agency relationships, and risk management support.
• U.S. Rehab Membership and support organization serving complex rehab technology (CRT) suppliers with payer relations, training, and industry advocacy.
• The van Halem Group Healthcare compliance and audit services firm providing pre- and post-payment audit support, appeals, and consulting to DMEPOS providers facing Medicare and payer audits.
• People for Quality Care Advocacy organization that raises awareness and lobbies for patient access to quality home medical equipment and complex rehab technology services.
• VGM Fulfillment Logistics and fulfillment services that distribute products on behalf of manufacturers and HME providers, supporting direct-to-patient shipping.
• VGM Forbin Web design, development, and digital marketing agency focused exclusively on the HME and post-acute care industries.
• Two Rivers Marketing Full-service marketing agency offering brand strategy, creative, digital, and media services to B2B clients across multiple industries.
• VGM Retail Retail consulting and retail science services that help HME providers convert cash sales, design showrooms, and operate as successful retail businesses.
• VGM Education Continuing education, certification, and training services for HME, CRT, and post-acute care professionals.
• VGM Advertising Industry advertising program that connects HME manufacturers with the provider market through print and digital channels including VGM's industry publications.

Quantifiable outcome

• 30 million+ patients served annually through HOMELINK patient care coordination
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Owlet Baby CareflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 16 April 2026VGM Group partnered as the inaugural employer for Owlet's new employer benefit program called 'Owlet for Orgs,' which enables companies to provide infant health monitoring devices to new and expecting parents at the workplace. The initiative aims to support pediatric wellness and enhance employee loyalty and retention. VGM, as an employee-owned company supporting working parents, serves as the first employer partner for this program.
• Essentially WomencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 31 December 2015VGM Group joined forces with Essentially Women, a nearly 20-year-old member service organization, to offer its services and programs to members of the organization. Essentially Women will continue to operate, with VGM providing expanded service offerings to the existing membership base.
• University of PittsburghcoreTechnology or Integration · 12 May 2015U.S. Rehab, a division of VGM Group, signed an exclusive license agreement with the University of Pittsburgh to allow its members to use the Functional Mobility Assessment (FMA) survey, which provides outcomes data about patients' ability to function with mobility devices. The FMA was 15 years in the making, developed by Mark Schmeler, Ph.D. and Margo Holm, Ph.D.
• American Association for Homecare (AAHomecare)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 28 April 2015VGM Group joined AAHomecare as a Bronze Level Corporate Partner to help strengthen access to care for Americans requiring home healthcare. The partnership enables VGM to work more closely with AAHomecare on legislative priorities and industry advocacy, leveraging VGM's grassroots network to engage providers and patients in the shared mission of improving home health care access.
• COPD FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 March 2015People for Quality Care, an organization focused on educating Medicare beneficiaries about health policy changes and their rights, partnered with the COPD Foundation to help recruit patients to the COPD Patient-powered Research Network (PPRN). The alliance addresses the detrimental effects the competitive bidding program has on patient access to supplemental oxygen and lung-impaired individuals' quality of life.
• Community United Child Care CentersminorOthersVGM Group partnered with Community United Child Care Centers to operate VGM's on-site child care center at its Waterloo headquarters, which opened in November 2023. The center addresses the shortage of childcare options in the Cedar Valley area for VGM employee owners.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Vizient: Vizient is a healthcare GPO and performance services company serving hospitals, ambulatory care, and post-acute providers. It offers supply chain, clinical, and analytics services comparable to VGM's portfolio of GPO, education, and business service offerings.
• Apria Healthcare (Owens & Minor): Apria is a national HME provider specializing in home respiratory therapy, sleep apnea, and home medical equipment. As a major HME provider competing for the same patient populations that VGM's HOMELINK division coordinates care for, Apria is a direct comparable in the post-acute HME market.
• HealthTrust Performance Group: HealthTrust is a healthcare GPO serving hospitals, surgery centers, and post-acute providers with group purchasing, consulting, and workforce solutions. Comparable to VGM in GPO model and provider-services orientation, with overlap in supply chain and contracting services.
• Premier Inc. Premier is a healthcare performance improvement company with a major group purchasing organization (GPO) serving hospitals, health systems, and other providers. It is the closest publicly-traded analog to VGM's GPO model, though Premier serves the acute care side rather than post-acute HME.

Broad incumbents

• AdaptHealth Corp. AdaptHealth is one of the largest national HME providers, formed through aggressive consolidation of independent HME companies. It represents the type of large national player whose growth directly pressures VGM's independent HME member base and the long-term sustainability of the membership model.
• Owens & Minor: Owens & Minor is a major medical product distributor that acquired Apria Healthcare (a leading HME provider) in 2022. As a national HME/distribution incumbent, it competes with VGM's member HME providers for end-customer share, making it a structural peer in the post-acute market VGM serves.
• Cardinal Health: Cardinal Health is a major medical product distributor and healthcare services company serving hospitals, pharmacies, and post-acute providers. Its at-Home Solutions division serves HME providers with distribution and supply chain services comparable to VGM Fulfillment.
• Medline Industries: Medline is one of the largest privately-held medical supply manufacturers and distributors, serving hospitals, surgery centers, and home care providers. Its scale in medical distribution overlaps with VGM's group purchasing and fulfillment offerings to HME providers.
• McKesson Corporation: McKesson is a global medical distribution and healthcare services company, including significant HME and home health distribution. Comparable to VGM at the distribution and supply chain layer, though McKesson operates at substantially larger scale across multiple healthcare verticals.

Others

• AAHomecare (American Association for Homecare): AAHomecare is the national industry association for HME providers, of which VGM is a Bronze Corporate Partner. It represents the broader HME advocacy ecosystem that VGM supports and engages with through Government Relations, providing a useful peer benchmark for industry association dynamics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vgm-group
• Xx.com/VGMGroupInc
• Facebookfacebook.com/VGMGroup

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about VGM Group