House Letter Asks CMS to Re-Evaluate PMD Rule

WASHINGTON–The chairwoman of the House Government Reform
Subcommittee on Regulatory Affairs is asking CMS to re-evaluate its
final rule on power mobility devices (see HomeCare
Monday, April 10).

In a letter to the agency on Friday, Rep. Candice Miller,
R-Mich., said that the subcommittee is “greatly concerned” that CMS
failed to “seriously evaluate the additional burden that the final
rule imposes on suppliers of PMDs.”

Under the rule, which eliminates the power mobility CMN,
providers need only submit a physician’s prescription for
reimbursement of Medicare claims for power wheelchairs and
scooters. They are, however, responsible for gathering patient
records supplied by physicians that document medical necessity for
the equipment.

“The reality that suppliers now must collect both the
prescription and additional documentation on all of its claims is
not the same requirement of a one-page CMN collection,” Miller
wrote. In addition, she said, CMS did not take into account the
cost of maintaining the records.

Miller requested that CMS consider other collection methods that
would decrease the administrative burdens for providers. She also
included sample standardized forms, developed by suppliers, that
she said include all of the information required by the final
rule.

A press release from the Washington, D.C.-based Power Mobility
Coalition said it has been working with Miller’s subcommittee and
others members of Congress to address concern with the lack of a
clear documentation requirement in the final rule and previous
interim final rule. “In fact, “PMC members provided the
subcommittee with the sample forms that were used to demonstrate
alternative collections,” the release said.

“PMD stakeholders applaud the actions of the subcommittee and we
hope that congressional concerns will spur both CMS and [Office of
Management and Budget] to work together in developing a
documentation requirement that will provide suppliers with greater
clarity, ease administrative burdens, and ensure that eligible
beneficiaries receive proper PMDs,” said PMC Counsel Stephen
Azia.