The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) wants Medicare durable medical equipment (DME) providers to be re-accredited annually, and also wants to change the prior authorization process for suppliers billing Medicare. The proposed changes were listed in the Calendar Year 2026 Home Health Prospective Payment System Proposed Rule Fact Sheet, CMS-1828-P, released June 30.…
2026 Proposed Rule: CMS Recommends Annual DMEPOS Accreditation, Prior Authorization Changes
Insurers Pledge to Streamline Prior Authorization, Ease Provider Burden: What CRT Should Know
AHIP says it is committed to improving the prior authorization process across commercial insurance.
The practices of the nation’s commercial insurance giants – tactics that have included stringent prior-authorization requirements – have increasingly come under scrutiny. In turn, members of Congress and federal health care regulators have called for drastic reform. Those calls for action are now starting to see progress, which could mean a more streamlined reimbursement landscape…
NCART Provides HCPCS Update for Wheelchair Securement Systems, Vehicle Components
The effective date of service for E1022 and E1023 was April 1.
Following DME MAC and Pricing, Data Analysis, and Coding (PDAC) bulletins on May 22, the National Coalition for Assistive & Rehab Technology (NCART) issued a reminder on June 3 on coding for wheelchair transportation securement systems, components, and accessories, along with a warning about coding for securement systems mounted on motor vehicles. The NCART update…
New CMMI Paper Lists Three ‘Strategic Pillars’ to Guide Medicare, Medicaid Strategies
Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation Director Abe Sutton published the paper on May 13.
The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI/Innovation Center) has revealed three pillars that will guide Medicare and Medicaid strategies as part of President Donald Trump’s “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) mandate. Abe Sutton, CMMI director and deputy administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), authored the paper, “CMS Innovation Center Strategy…
United Spinal Reacts to Proposed Medicaid Cuts, Urges Stakeholders to Act
The Congressional Budget Office said the so-called “one big, beautiful bill” would cut $715 billion from Medicaid over the next 10 years.
United Spinal Association is urging stakeholders to act swiftly to prevent sweeping Medicaid cuts that are part of the Trump administration’s so-called “one big, beautiful bill” that advanced out of the budget committee on Sunday night, May 18, according to a report from PBS. The association said in a May 16 bulletin that the bill…
Seat Elevation: Why a Heavy-Duty Code Matters
Understanding the physics of seat elevation and how it compares to other seating functions.
It’s all about access, engineering … and physics. The spring 2024 coding and funding decision by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for power seat elevation was a textbook case of good news and bad news. The good news: CMS, citing how seat elevation can support and facilitate transfers and reaching tasks, affirmed…
Exokinetics Launches Project ELEVATE Mobility to Support Zeen Purchasers
A new grant program will match consumers’ contributions up to 50% of the mobility device’s cost.
Exokinetics has launched the Project ELEVATE Mobility (PEM) charitable foundation as a way to help consumers pay for the company’s Zeen mobility device. In an April 17 press release, Exokinetics, based in West Chester, Pennsylvania, said PEM plans to award dollar-for-dollar matching grants to consumers hoping to buy a Zeen, which the company described as…
Commentary: Dr. Oz Wants Prevention? He Should Embrace CRT
Complex Rehab Technology could be a cost-effective investment for the new CMS administrator.
After his first week as the new administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Mehmet Oz, M.D., shared four goals that embody the “Make America Healthy Again” mandate of President Donald Trump. Here’s #4: “Shifting the paradigm for health care from a system that focuses on sick care to one that fosters…
United Spinal Calls for Medicaid Stories from Wheelchair Riders
Medicaid funding cuts put beneficiaries’ livelihood and health at risk, the advocacy group said.
United Spinal Association is asking wheelchair riders to share what Medicaid coverage means to them. In a March 19 bulletin to stakeholders, United Spinal announced its new Medicaid Stories campaign, which the organization says is “centered on real-life experiences from the disability community. This campaign aims to educate the public, media and elected officials about…
ATLAS Technology Launches AI Intake Functionality
New artificial intelligence features streamlines the intake process while reducing errors.
ATLAS Technology has introduced AI Intake, described as “a powerful new feature integrated within [ATLAS] HME/CRT enterprise software.” “Designed to streamline patient intake and enhance billing efficiency, AI intake empowers health-care providers with a seamless, cloud-based solution for managing orders and improving workflow — all from a single login,” the March 17 ATLAS announcement added.…