The ITEM Coalition has prepared a letter that you are able to edit and send to your Representatives urging them to sign-on to the Dingell/Fitzpatrick Congressional sign-on letter. (Read more below)
We need to generate as much support as possible in order to show CMS how important this coverage decision is for Medicare beneficiaries. You can access and send this email in under two minutes using the following link: https://powerslaw.quorum.us/campaign/69660/
Please take a minute to contact your U.S. Representatives and urge them to sign on to a Congressional sign-on letter being led by the two co-chairs of the House Bipartisan Disabilities Caucus, U.S. Representatives Debbie Dingell (D-MI) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA). The letter will be sent to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (“CMS”) urging the Agency, once again, to open for public comment the pending National Coverage Analysis (“NCA”) for standing systems in power wheelchairs. This letter is in follow-up to an earlier letter in June 2023 which was submitted to CMS on this same issue.
September 15th marks the four-year anniversary of the ITEM Coalition’s submission of our original National Coverage Determination Reconsideration Request to extend Medicare coverage of seat elevation and standing systems in power wheelchairs. As you’ll recall, CMS chose to split the two requests into separate requests and issued a favorable coverage determination for seat elevation in May 2023. While we are grateful to CMS for finalizing the seat elevation coverage determination, we remain concerned that CMS has not yet initiated the NCA for standing systems in power wheelchairs. As you know, standing systems allow users to transition from seated to standing positions without the need to leave their wheelchairs, allowing independent performance of mobility related activities of daily living (MRADLs) and a host of medical benefits derived from bearing weight on an individual’s body frame.
The absence of Medicare coverage for these systems leaves many beneficiaries without access to critical technology that can significantly improve their health outcomes and quality of life. Four years is far too long for Medicare beneficiaries to be forced to wait for CMS to initiate this important coverage analysis.
Please contact your U.S. Representatives today and urge them to sign-on to the Dingell/Fitzpatrick Congressional sign-on letter urging CMS to promptly open the NCA and public comment period regarding coverage for standing systems in power wheelchairs.
The ITEM Coalition has prepared a letter that you are able to edit and send to their Representatives urging them to sign-on to the Dingell/Fitzpatrick Congressional sign-on letter. We need to generate as much support as possible in order to show CMS how important this coverage decision is for Medicare beneficiaries. You can access and send this email in under two minutes using the following link: https://powerslaw.quorum.us/campaign/69660/
We ask you to please share this message with your colleagues, family, and friends.
Thank you for your advocacy on this important initiative.