Do you have a patient who would benefit from seat elevation or standing systems in their power wheelchair? Or patients who already use these systems? If so, Medicare wants to hear from you!
As you may know, the Medicare program currently prohibits coverage for seat elevation and standing systems in power wheelchairs and views these systems as “not primarily medical in nature.” Contrary to their argument, we know it can be difficult to navigate daily activities for those who use a wheelchair. It is vital to be able to:
- Safely transfer from a wheelchair to another surface (toilet, bath, etc.), particularly if it is not level with their chair.
- Function independently at home as much as possible (cooking, cleaning, grooming, dressing).
- Improve circulation, bone strength, and skin health, along with other medical benefits when spending long periods of time in a wheelchair.
As previously announced, Medicare is currently accepting public comments about whether to cover power seat elevation systems for Medicare beneficiaries and will be considering additional comments about power standing systems at a later date. Please email healthpolicy@aapmr.org and visit www.rise4access.org to share your story and to let Medicare know how your patients and their caregivers can benefit from these technologies.