Medicare claims for ultralightweight manual wheelchairs (HCPCS code K0005) with dates of service of Oct. 28 or later will need to go through the prior authorization process. The July 30 edition of the Federal Register listed eight HCPCS codes, including K0005, that will be required to use prior authorization. The other codes are E0194 (air…
K0005 Update: Medicare Prior Authorization to Be Required Starting in Late October
Upcoming CRT Awareness Week to Promote Value of CRT
Awareness Week is Sept. 14-18.
This year’s Complex Rehab Technology (CRT) Awareness Week — Sept. 14-18 — will focus on building support for S. 247, the Choices for Increased Mobility Act currently in the U.S. Senate. The bill, introduced in January by Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), is a companion to House bill H.R. 1703, which passed…
Canadian Airline WestJet Ordered to Discontinue 300-Lb. Wheelchair Weight Limit
The weight limit prevented many CRT power chairs from being transported.
The Canadian Transportation Agency has told Canadian airline WestJet to discontinue its 300-lb. (136 kg) weight limit for passengers’ mobility devices, multiple Canadian news outlets reported on Aug. 20. News agencies including the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) reported that the Canadian Transportation Agency told WestJet to lift the weight limit before July 2027. WestJet’s regulations…
Nashville to Host Oct. 1 MDA Toast to Life Gala
Sponsors for the fundraising event include Reliable Medical, Numotion and National Seating & Mobility.
Nashville will again host the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) Gala this fall, an event that brings together many of Complex Rehab Technology’s (CRT) biggest names. The Oct. 1 event is scheduled for The Factory at Franklin in Franklin, Tenn. Sponsors include Abram’s Nation, National Seating & Mobility, Numotion, Permobil, and Reliable Medical. The MDA said…
Commentary: Pulling Back the Curtain on VGM’s D.C. ROI Story
Dan Fedor and Ike Isaacson on advocacy and accountability.
If you are a Complex Rehab Technology (CRT) veteran — perhaps you remember when CRT was just called re/hab — you know that advocacy efforts back then began with “Let me explain seating and wheeled mobility.” Our thinking at that time was “To get a seat at the table, policy makers first need to know…
NCART Announces Election Results, Adds Three Board Members
The organization is also searching for its next executive director.
The National Coalition for Assistive & Rehab Technology (NCART) has added three new members to its board of directors following a board election earlier this summer. Joining the NCART board are Alexis Ward, head of funding and advocacy, Cubby Beds; Derek Meier, director of government affairs and advocacy, Rifton; and Michael Hughes, ATP, national sales…
Abilities International Accessibility Conference Announces 2027 Dates
RESNA will co-locate with the New York Metro Abilities conference next year.
The Abilities International Accessibility Conference — the professional conference arm of the Abilities Expo show series — has announced 2027 dates and venues. Next year, the conference will be at the Long Beach (California) Convention Center on Jan. 13-14, and at the New Jersey Convention & Expo Center on April 29-30. Both educational conferences will…
Advocacy Organizations Decry DOJ Notice Calling Olmstead Decision ‘Not Enforceable’
The 1999 Supreme Court ruling is the foundation of providing healthcare at home to people with disabilities.
Organizations that support people living with disabilities are denouncing a Department of Justice (DOJ) notice that called the landmark Supreme Court Olmstead v. L.C. decision “unenforceable” — while also expressing concern over an erosion of inclusion-related rights. The DOJ published the notice in the Federal Register on July 20, saying it “is issuing this document…
House Passes Ultralightweight Frame Upgrade Bill; Focus Moves to Senate
The Choices for Increased Mobility Act passed the U.S. House by voice vote on July 20.
Now that H.R. 1703, the Choices for Increased Mobility Act, has passed the U.S. House of Representatives, the Complex Rehab Technology industry’s focus shifts to the Senate, which has its own version of the bill (S. 247). The bills, which are both budget neutral, expand access to titanium and carbon fiber ultralightweight wheelchair frames by…
Medicare Proposed Rule: Eliminate Face-to-Face Requirement for Replacement DMEPOS
While a rule change could save time, replacing durable medical equipment without a new evaluation also raises concerns.
The new prospective payment system proposed rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is clarifying that a face-to-face examination is not always needed for replacement durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics and supplies (DMEPOS) orders. CMS also released a fact sheet on July 1, the same day as the Calendar Year 2027 Home…