Congress Pushes For Increased Wheelchair Access For Medicare Beneficiaries

Medicare beneficiaries need better access to lighter, more advanced wheelchairs that won't put as much strain on users' shoulders and will reduce overall pain and fatigue, bipartisan senators said last week while introducing a bill meant to increase access to these advanced wheelchairs. This comes after bipartisan members of the House pressured CMS to open for public comment the pending National Coverage Analysis (NCA) on standing systems.

Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) introduced the bill Thursday (Oct. 17), which would allow Medicare beneficiaries to upgrade to lighter, more functional wheelchairs at a lower price. The bill, also known as the “Choices for Increased Mobility Act,” would ensure Medicare covers the standard portion of the wheelchair cost, with beneficiaries paying for the upgraded materials. It would establish two new billing codes for ultra-lightweight manual wheelchairs with one for base models and another for those constructed with titanium or carbon fiber.

Meanwhile, Reps. Debbie Dingell (D-MI) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), co-chairs of the House Bipartisan Disabilities Caucus, wrote last week to CMS pressuring the agency to open public comment on the NCA on standing systems, which has been pending for the past four years. Twenty-two additional lawmakers signed the letter.

According to a release from Powers Law, the Independence Through Enhancement of Medicare and Medicaid (ITEM) Coalition submitted its original National Coverage Determination (NCD) reconsideration request for both seat elevation and standing systems in power wheelchairs in 2020. Last year, CMS split the original NCD and announced coverage for seat elevation systems, leaving standing systems without coverage.

Elevation systems allow users to raise and lower the height of a wheelchair seat, whereas standing systems help users transition from a sitting to a standing position.

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