Government
Medicare sets power chair rules
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted May 23, 2005
Physicians who prescribe mobility assistive equipment, such as power wheelchairs and scooters, to Medicare beneficiaries must follow a new set of guidelines to determine whether patients need the devices, according to rules released by federal regulators.
The national coverage determination, which takes effect immediately, requires doctors to evaluate whether a device is necessary to allow beneficiaries to accomplish daily mobility-related activities such as feeding, grooming, dressing, bathing and toileting. Physicians currently must demonstrate only that the patients are "nonambulatory" or "bed- or chair-confined."
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services officials said the move is needed to help stamp out fraud.
The national coverage determination can be found on the CMS Web site (link).
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2005/05/23/gvbf0523.htm.
