Government
Power wheelchair rule issued
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Sept. 19, 2005
Physicians prescribing power wheelchairs or scooters to Medicare beneficiaries after Oct. 25 must provide new documentation from the patients' medical records for the government to approve claims.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services in late August issued an interim final rule that describes the additional clinical information that needs to accompany any power-operated vehicle claim. Recognizing that the new mandate will require more paperwork for physicians and other practitioners, CMS is authorizing a new billing code for an additional administrative payment for the claims.
CMS earlier this year released a national coverage determination outlining a new set of guidelines that doctors must use in assessing whether patients need the devices.
The latest regulation, which also removes a requirement that prescribing physicians be part of certain select specialties, is available online (link).
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2005/09/19/gvbf0919.htm.
