Two industry speakers shared policy history, clinical evidence and personal experiences in making a passionate case for preserving seat elevation access at the March 25 DME MAC meeting on local coverage determinations (LCDs) for power mobility devices (PMD) and wheelchair options and accessories. The public meeting was cohosted by DME MACs Noridian Healthcare Solutions (Jurisdictions…
DME MAC Meeting: Industry Advocates for Individual Consideration of Seat Elevation on Group 2 Power Wheelchairs
Merits Partnership with Motivation Restarts Global Wheelchair Production, Distribution
Motivation supports wheelchair provision and training in areas with limited access to mobility devices.
Merits Health Products has partnered with Motivation to restart the production and global distribution of the Motivation wheelchair line, “restoring access to mobility solutions relied upon by rehabilitation providers, humanitarian organizations, and adaptive sports programs around the world,” the manufacturer said in a March 16 press release. “For more than three decades, Motivation Charitable Trust…
Mobility Management Take 5: Play Ball!
Jason Benetti, creator of the “Awkward Moments” series with the Cerebral Palsy Foundation, will call MLB Sunday night games.
With Major League Baseball’s (MLB) opening day set for March 25, this week’s Take 5 highlights Jason Benetti, lauded broadcaster for the Detroit Tigers who will also call the play by play for Sunday primetime games on NBC and its Peacock streaming service. Benetti, who has cerebral palsy, worked with the Cerebral Palsy Foundation to…
Briefly: Getting Ready for the March 25 LCDs Meeting
The DME MACs’ meeting will cover power mobility devices and options/accessories, including seat elevation.
Noridian Healthcare Solutions (Jurisdictions A and D DME MAC) and CGS Administrators (Jurisdictions B and C DME MAC) are hosting a virtual public meeting on Wednesday, March 25, starting at 10 a.m. Eastern Time to discuss proposed local coverage determinations (LCDs) for power mobility devices — specifically, Group 2 power wheelchairs (HCPCS coded K0830/K0831) with…
Manual Wheelchair Skills Courses Now Available for Clients, Caregivers, Professionals
The free courses focus on teaching skills to maximize independence in a range of scenarios.
Moving efficiently through a less-than-accessible world requires more than just an optimally fit wheelchair. Wheelchair riders also need the skills to use their mobility devices in a number of situations, from curbs to ramps, small spaces and thresholds. The latest series added to the Wheelchair Skills Program is a free-to-learn collection of self-directed, web-based manual…
Permobil Launches TiLite TR, ZR Titanium Ultralight Wheelchairs
The new models are available in fixed-frame and adjustable configurations.
Permobil has introduced its latest additions to its TiLite family of ultralightweight titanium wheelchairs. In a March 16 news announcement, Permobil debuted the TiLite TR (dual-tube) and TiLite ZR (monotube) chairs, calling them “a purposeful evolution” with updated designs that “bring refined aesthetics, lighter components and enhanced adjustability — elevating performance, simplifying daily use, and…
DME MACs Announce Meeting on Proposed LCDs for Seat Elevation Coverage on Group 2 Power Chairs
The March 25 virtual meeting will provide time for public comments.
Nearly three years after the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) affirmed Medicare coverage for power seat elevation on power wheelchairs, the Medicare DME MACs — Noridian Healthcare Solutions (Jurisdictions A and D) and CGS Administrators (Jurisdictions B and C) — have announced a March 25 meeting to discuss proposed local coverage determinations (LCDs)…
Commentary: I Asked ChatGPT About Caregiving. It Reflected Us Back
Offering another perspective for National Caregivers Day.
On Sunday night I got into a big fight with ChatGPT. In anticipation of National Caregivers Day (Feb. 20), I asked ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence large language model, to find quotes about caregiving. “I generate responses by predicting patterns in language based on training data,” ChatGPT told me. “I can reflect dominant cultural narratives if…
Telehealth Flexibilities Extended for OTs, PTs, Through December 2027
The latest appropriations bill gives advocates nearly two years to create a permanent fix.
The latest federal appropriations bill included language that extends telehealth flexibilities for occupational (OT) and physical therapists (PT), as well as for speech-language pathologists and audiologists, through Dec. 31, 2027. The Consolidated Appropriations Act 2026 (H.R. 7148), signed by President Donald Trump on Feb. 3, finally gives clinicians some breathing room, after earlier continuing resolutions…
Permobil Launches Comfort Unite Back Support Series
The new line brings together solutions from the ROHO and Comfort brands.
Permobil’s new Comfort Unite lineup is designed to make the complex task of choosing the optimal back support a little bit easier for a full range of wheelchair riders’ needs. Available in five “streamlined configurations,” the new line brings together products and functions from the ROHO and Comfort (formerly Comfort Company) brands “to simplify clinical…