Mobility Management

  • Home
  • Topics
    • Automotive Mobility
    • Billing / Reimbursement
    • Government / Legislation
    • Home Accessibility
    • Pediatrics
    • Power Chairs
    • Seating & Positioning
    • Ultralightweights
  • News
  • Featured
  • Podcasts
  • Request Media Kit
  • Webinars
  • Subscribe
  • Digital Edition
  • Awards
  • Advertise

NCART Recaps 2014 So Far, Looks to the Future

June 19, 2014 by Laurie Watanabe

One hundred forty one: That’s the number of co-sponsors who have signed onto H.R. 942 as of June 25, according to Don Clayback, executive director of NCART.

Progress of the bill, which would establish a separate Medicare benefit category for complex rehab technology (CRT), was one of the main industry points touched upon by Clayback in providing stakeholders with a mid-year update.

In addition to the House bill, Clayback pointed out that the companion bill in the Senate, S. 948, has 16 co-sponsors. Support for both bills has been bi-partisan in nature.

Recent co-signers came about in part due to the work of National CRT Conference attendees who met with members of Congress in Washington, D.C., last month. Clayback said the 2015 CRT Conference, a joint venture of NCART and NRRTS, would take place March 10-12.

Going forward, Clayback added, NCART would be focusing on adding co-sponsors to both bills, moving toward attaining Congressional Budget Office scoring, and seeking to get the bills attached to larger Medicare-related legislation.

NCART is also working on a number of other industry issues, including participating in an industry Wheelchair Repair Work Group, formed to address ongoing difficulties that Medicare beneficiaries are having when their power mobility devices need service.

The service and repair issue has become increasingly challenging due to the number of suppliers who have gone out of business due to Medicare’s competitive bidding program – and due to the sheer volume of beneficiaries who own equipment originally provided by the now-defunct Scooter Store.

Among the work group’s efforts: Advocating for so-called “abandoned” beneficiaries to sign a statement attesting to that fact, and allowing qualified suppliers to provide needed repairs “solely based on a physician’s detailed written order,” Clayback said.

At present, many providers are hesitant to service vehicles belonging to abandoned beneficiaries because it is difficult or impossible to obtain complete documentation about the original equipment provision. Suppliers now stepping in to perform repairs run the risk of having Medicare deny their repair claims, because Medicare can claim the beneficiaries didn’t qualify for PMDs and that the equipment should never have been provided in the first place.

The work group has also recommended that repair/replacement part codes be excluded from Medicare’s competitive bidding program to reinstate “traditional rates and allow all suppliers to provide repair parts.”

In a summation of the CRT policy progress being made, Clayback pointed out that CRT “recognition” – the state equivalent to a Medicare “separate benefit category” for CRT – has been achieved in Colorado, Connecticut and Washington.

Through industry efforts, ultralightweight manual wheelchairs (HCPCS code K0005) and adult manual tilt-in-space wheelchairs (E1161) have been classified as CRT and excluded from Medicare’s competitive bidding program, Clayback noted.

NCART’s Web site and the access2crt.org Web site, which tracks CRT advocacy issues, have also both been recently updated, Clayback added.

Related Articles Read More >

Briefly: United Spinal Launches Health Access Group; Travel Insurance Company Names Best, Worst Airlines for Handling Wheelchairs
Featuring United Spinal Association and InsureMyTrip.
Take Mobility Management’s Survey on Pediatric Seating, Wheeled Mobility
The survey is open to clinicians, ATPs, and other seating and wheeled mobility professionals and service providers.
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.
Reporter’s Notebook: Ingenuity Meets Workability at RESNA’s 2025 Conference at RehabWeek
Assistive technology of all kinds were the focus of the Chicago meeting.

GET THE FREE NEWSLETTER

Mobility Management Newsletter

Subscribe to Mobility Management's newsletter for industry & product news, trends and resources. Click here.
podcasts
Mobility Management
  • HME Business
  • Senior Housing News
  • Home Health Care News
  • Skilled Nursing News
  • Hospice News
  • Behavioral Health Business
  • Contact Us
  • About Us

Copyright © 2025 WTWH Media LLC. All Rights Reserved. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of WTWH Media
Privacy Policy | Advertising | About Us

Search Mobility Management

  • Home
  • Topics
    • Automotive Mobility
    • Billing / Reimbursement
    • Government / Legislation
    • Home Accessibility
    • Pediatrics
    • Power Chairs
    • Seating & Positioning
    • Ultralightweights
  • News
  • Featured
  • Podcasts
  • Request Media Kit
  • Webinars
  • Subscribe
  • Digital Edition
  • Awards
  • Advertise