Specifically, the language comes from H.R. 2293 and S.1223, the Protecting Access to Wheelchairs Act of 2019, which provides a permanent exemption from competitive bid program exemption for manual CRT wheelchairs. It also suspends the application of competitive bidding-derived rates for manual CRT wheelchair accessories for 18 months, starting Jan. 1, 2020.
The provisions cover manual CRT wheelchairs falling under HCPCS codes E1235, E1236, E1237, E1238, and K0008, as well as accessories for those chairs.
The CRT language from the full House appropriations bill can be found in Section 106, which the American Association for Homecare has uploaded as a PDF at bit.ly/38Mxaf7.
Wait! The Job’s Not Done
However, the inclusion of the language is not the end of the line. As Don Clayback, Executive Director of the National Coalition for Assistive & Rehab Technology (NCART), points out, now the Senate needs pass the legislation — and that requires continued lobbying.
“Let your Senators know what you want them to do!” Clayback noted. “If you have not done so yet, use the links at www.protectmymobility.org to tell your Senators how important it is they pass H.R. 1865 this week. It will take less than three minutes to add your voice.”
