The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has updated its policy article for power mobility devices (PMDs) — and the latest article contains updates to power-assist definitions and descriptions.
The effective revision date for the changes is Oct. 1, 2025.
A power-assist system, HCPCS coded E0986, is described as “An electrically powered option that intermittently transforms the manual wheelchair to a hybrid mobility device when the system is attached and activated or engaged for the intermittent assistance of power and then returns the chair to a manual wheelchair when the power-assist system is detached, deactivated or disengaged.”
The policy article added that the E0986 code is all inclusive: “All components, e.g., wheels, batteries, a charger, a control mechanism, mounting hardware, etc., are considered as included in one UOS [unit of service] of the code.”
CMS describes a power add-on as “A powered option for a manual wheelchair that permanently converts the manual wheelchair to a joystick-controlled power wheelchair (E0983) or tiller-controlled power operated vehicle (E0984).”
The universe of power-assist systems has greatly expanded in recent years. A segment once dominated by in-hub designs now includes devices that can be attached to the front or rear of a manual chair and can be operated by the wheelchair rider via a range of controls. Additionally, power add-on systems can be more permanent ways to provide power to manual wheelchairs.
