Jerry Lewis, MDA Urge Passage of H.R. 2231

WASHINGTON–In a recent letter to Congress, Muscular Dystrophy
Association National Chairman Jerry Lewis urged federal lawmakers
to pass H.R. 2231, the Medicare Access to Complex Rehabilitation
and Assistive Technology Act of 2007.

The proposed legislation would exempt complex rehab products and
assistive technologies from Medicare’s competitive bidding
program.

Current Medicare competitive bidding policy limits those who
need equipment such as technologically advanced power wheelchairs
to one or two pre-selected equipment vendors, “promoting a
one-size-fits-all concept of care,” Lewis said in his letter.

He urged Congress to include H.R. 2231 in a package of Medicare
provisions that will be coming before the Senate shortly.

“How can you restrict people’s choices when selecting
wheelchairs and other vital equipment,” Lewis wrote. “This is not
only medically wrong, but fiscally irresponsible.”

Rita Hostak of Sunrise Medical, president of the National
Coalition for Assistive and Rehab Technology, said the group was
grateful for the support of its complex rehab carve-out bill. “This
is important to demonstrate to Congress that consumers will be
harmed should complex rehab equipment be competitively bid,” she
said.

MDA is the second consumer group to officially endorse H.R.
2231. The ALS Association lent its support to the measure at an
NCART press event on Sept. 25.