Report: Sen. Marsha Blackburn to Introduce Ultralightweight Upgrade Bill
Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) is preparing to introduce a Senate bill “that would restore access to titanium and carbon fiber wheelchairs for Medicare beneficiaries and for individuals covered by plans that follow Medicare policy and coding,” according to a report from the American Association for Homecare (AAHomecare). Medtrade reported the news on Sept. 6.
The new bill would be a companion to H.R. 5371, the Choices for Increased Mobility Act, which is currently in the House. H.R. 5371 would allow Medicare beneficiaries to pay out of pocket to upgrade to a carbon fiber or titanium frame for their new ultralightweight wheelchairs.
Currently, beneficiaries must either pay the cost of the entire wheelchair up front and then wait for partial reimbursement from Medicare, or must forego upgrading to carbon fiber or titanium. H.R. 5371’s advocates point out that allowing beneficiaries to upgrade at their own expense would not cost Medicare any extra, but that requiring beneficiaries to pay for the entire wheelchair up front is restricting access to the upgraded materials.
Paris, IPC Celebrate ‘Astonishing’ Paralympic Games
The 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris closed on Sept. 8 — but not before its athletes were lauded by fans and Paralympics officials alike.
International Paralympic Committee (IPC) President Andrew Parsons, just ahead of the Sept. 8 closing ceremony, praised athletes’ performances and the enthusiasm of the fans who cheered them on. In an interview published Sept. 8 on the IPC website, Parsons said of the Paris Games, “I think it was a complete success. … The sport was absolutely fantastic. It was at the next level; it has been better than ever before. We saw incredible results, and some new athletes and some new countries.”
Parsons thanked the fans for “an incredible atmosphere” and for applauding “athletes from all nations.”
He added that 2.5 million Paralympics tickets were sold, and “The number of broadcasts is higher than ever before.”
Next up are the Milano Cortino Paralympic Winter Games, March 6-15, 2026, in Italy. The next summer Paralympic Games will take place in Los Angeles, Aug. 22-Sept. 3, 2028.
The IPC said China finished at the top of the medals board, with 220 medals total (94 gold, 76 silver, 50 bronze). Great Britain (49 gold, 44 silver, 31 bronze) was in second place, and the United States (36 gold, 42 silver, 27 bronze) was in third place. Canada (10 gold, 9 silver, 7 bronze) finished in 12th place. The host nation of France finished in eighth place, with 19 gold, 28 silver, and 28 bronze medals.
