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…
Commentary: Dr. Oz Wants Prevention? He Should Embrace CRT
Commentary: What Schoolhouse Rock’s ‘Bill’ Would Want You to Know About Policy
Bills S. 247 and H.R. 1703 to upgrade ultralightweight wheelchair frames are currently in the Senate and House.
I grew up watching Schoolhouse Rock! between Saturday-morning cartoons. While those short videos on grammar, math and American history were great for my education — the preamble song is why my entire civics class scored 100% on that quiz — one video had an outsized impact on my understanding of the legislative process. “I’m Just…
Commentary: Seniors with CVA Also Deserve the Best Outcomes
A new partnership between the World Stroke Organization and Royal Philips calls for a revolution in stroke care. I hope that includes wheeled mobility.
Royal Philips and the World Stroke Organization (WSO) recently announced they are partnering to advocate for better care for patients who experience cerebrovascular accidents (CVA), also known as stroke. Philips’s paper, Time for a Revolution in Stroke Care, noted that CVA “is a leading cause of disability and the second-leading cause of death worldwide. The…
Commentary: All Attention on the Paris Paralympics
Murderball! Wheelchair fencing! Get ready to cheer on your favorite elite athletes.
With the Paris Olympics officially in the record books as of Aug. 11, it’s time to gear up for the Paris Paralympics. Popcorn? Check. Favorite fizzy beverages? Check. Viewing guide? Sports rosters? Understanding the athlete classification system? Read on for what you need to know about the Paralympic Games, Aug. 28-Sept. 8. A Paralympics primer…
Commentary: Stepping Back for a Closer Look
Seeing our industry the way others see it.
The driver who picked me up from LAX was young —a college kid, I thought, as I handed over my bags. I’ll call him Marcus. I’d just flown home from the American Association for Homecare’s (AAHomecare) legislative conference in Washington, D.C. I’d been up well before dawn to catch my flight out of Reagan National,…
Commentary: Once Again, Wheelchairs Considered Second-Class Solutions
Medicare is now funding personal exoskeletons. But what’s so wrong about rolling?
In April, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced Medicare coverage for personal exoskeletons. ReWalk (DBA: Lifeward), an exoskeleton manufacturer, praised the decision: “The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has officially revised its April 2024 Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (DMEPOS) fee schedule to include a final lump-sum Medicare purchase…
Commentary: CRT’s Uniqueness Is Still a Mystery
The failure to truly understand the complexity of seating clients could hurt access.
I attended the Nov. 30 Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) second biannual HCPCS Coding Cycle public meeting for the discussion about coding and reimbursement for power seat elevation. That part of the meeting lasted nearly two hours. Here’s my takeaway: The unique nature of Complex Rehab Technology (CRT) is still not wholly understood…