Two lawmakers have re-launched legislation in the House that would permanently exempt manual complex rehab wheelchairs from competitive bidding.
The bill, H.R. 2293, would also and stop Medicare from applying bidding-derived reimbursement rates to accessories for manual complex rehab chairs for 18 months
Representatives John Larson (D-Conn.) and Lee Zeldin (R-N.Y.) launched the Protecting Access to Complex Rehab Manual Wheelchairs Act, which re-introduces legislative language that originally debuted in 115th Congress, but lapsed when that Congress’s term ended.
Don Clayback, executive director of the National Coalition for Assistive and Rehab Technology (NCART) noted that the bill has already picked up 21 co-sponsors, including seven who are members of the Energy & Commerce and Ways & Means committees.
“This suspension will allow time to develop a permanent policy change,” he said, adding that NCART would soon update its advocacy materials so CRT stakeholders can contact their Representatives to sign on as co-sponsors.