A new letter urging Medicare support for power seat elevation and power standing on complex power wheelchairs has been introduced by a trio of Senators.
Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.), and Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) are seeking co-signers for the letter, which will be sent to Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure.
The deadline for signing onto the letter is Fri., Sept. 30. Read the letter here.
More information about the Senate letter, as well as efforts to secure Medicare funding for seat elevation and standing, is also available at the Protect My Mobility Web site.
A House version of the letter was introduced last week by Representatives James Langevin (D-R.I.), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.), and John Rose (R-Tenn.). The deadline to sign onto the House letter is Monday., Oct. 3.
Both letters thank Brooks-LaSure for the power seat elevation public comment period that ended Sept. 14, while additionally asking CMS to “promptly open” a National Coverage Analysis and public comment period for power standing.
“Coverage of these technologies will bring significant benefits to Medicare beneficiaries with mobility impairments, making a timely review and decision process that much more important,” the Senate letter said.
In an interview for the Mobility Management podcast series, NCART Executive Director Don Clayback said more than 3,500 comments were submitted during the seat elevation public comment period. Comments came from a range of stakeholders, from consumers to clinicians, manufacturers, and advocacy organizations, Clayback added.
“We’re very happy with the response,” he said.
