A Complex Rehab Technology (CRT) Product Expo, scheduled for May 13 in the Cannon Office Building on Capitol Hill, will give legislators a hands-on look at how seating and wheeled mobility changes lives.
The event — starting in the Cannon Caucus Room at 11:30 a.m. Eastern — “is designed to help members of Congress and their staff gain a deeper understanding of how CRT supports independence, health outcomes and quality of life for individuals living with disabilities,” according to May 5 news announcement.
The expo is cohosted by the National Coalition for Assistive & Rehab Technology (NCART), the International Registry of Rehab Technology Suppliers (iNRRTS), and U.S. Rehab.
The organizations are asking CRT stakeholders to ask their legislators to attend by sending a quick email invitation via NCART’s website. On NCART’s website, constituents can send a prewritten letter with expo details.
In addition to giving legislators and their staffers the opportunity to see and demo CRT equipment in person, the expo gives industry policy and technology experts the face-to-face chance to discuss issues now impacting seating and wheeled mobility.
“The product expo will focus on key legislation and policy issues that would protect access to CRT and ensure individuals receive the clinically appropriate equipment they need to live independently and safely,” the announcement said. “These include removing barriers to carbon fiber and titanium manual wheelchairs, eliminating prior authorization for repairs for Medicare Advantage and Medicaid Advantage beneficiaries, and establishing Medicare coverage for power standing systems.”
“Lawmakers consistently tell us that hearing from their constituents makes a real difference,” said Wayne Grau, NCART’s executive director. “Our Congressional Product Expo is a vital way we can educate members of Congress about the importance and value of CRT equipment, as well as urge them to support critical CRT priorities that will help remove barriers and improve day-to-day life for people who rely on CRT equipment for mobility and independence.”
