Right To Purchase Power Wheelchairs Becomes Hot
Legislative Potato!
The
healthcare horizon, affecting Medicare coverage for those receiving services at
home, continues to change. A hot topic
for Session when returning to Washington D.C. September 2007 will be passing
legislation covering children’s health care.
How does this affect
Medicare beneficiaries? The House has
“tacked on” language to their draft Bill that impacts Long Term Care Facility
funding, physician payment, the Medicare Oxygen benefit and payment for power
wheelchairs required by Medicare beneficiaries to achieve activities of daily
living.
Proposed HOUSE legislation
would remove the current patient right to purchase power mobility and
would only pay on a 13-month lease basis. Ranking House members believe
beneficiaries do not continue to use mobility equipment for a long period of
time and have stated, “Patients either get better, go into a skilled facility
or die.” And, the House is
willing to pay MORE on a lease basis than purchasing outright to prove its
point.
If this legislation is
passed, providers across the nation worry about patient access issues that are
certain to follow. Few providers, if
any, are able to provide power mobility retailing for $10,000 - $25,000 as a
lease item. And who would pay for
repairs during the lease period, the beneficiary? Medicare doesn’t pay for repairs during a
rental.
In August, Senator Arlen
Specter, R-PA, held several “Town Hall” meetings throughout Pennsylvania. Beneficiaries and providers flocked to share
thoughts on the pending legislation that must be pounded out in a conference
committee this fall. Daniel Merrick,
president of RDJ Catalogue Inc. and his son, 23-year-old Igor Merrick,
diagnosed with Duchennes Muscular Dystrophy at an early age, joined us August
15 in New Bethlehem to voice concerns.
“I told Senator Specter how
important it is for Igor to have the right of purchase at the onset, that his
power chair is designed specifically for his personal use and configured to
enhance his function. The chair is over
$20,000 and no provider, including BLACKBURN’S, would be able to provide it as
a lease. Igor has been using mobility
equipment since age 7…so much for requiring long term care or discontinuing
use!” said Dan.
“I know how some politicians
work”, continued Merrick, “ they raise costs in one area and remove benefits in
another until the budget looks like it will save when it actually costs
more. I have confidence Senator Specter
will do all he can to combat this ill-conceived part of the Bill.”
BLACKBURN’S will continue to
fight the proposed legislation and I encourage our clinical referrals to do the
same! For information on how to contact
your legislators, call me at
Photo
Description:
Igor Merrick pictured with
Senator Specter, his father Dan and younger brother, Jeremiyah during New
Bethlehem Town Hall Meeting,
Sidebar:
It’s important to note Igor
couldn’t travel to New Bethlehem in his power chair due to lack of funding for
an accessible van. As a clinician, do you think there should be funding for
accessibility outside the home?
Email your thoughts to georgie.blackburn@blackburnsmed.com