Lighter Wheelchair Bill Passes in Committee

WASHINGTON—The House Energy and Commerce Committee has unanimously passed the Choices for Increased Mobility Act (HR 1703), which would allow Medicare beneficiaries to use carbon fiber and titanium manual wheelchairs. 

The legislation would change current Medicare policy, which requires beneficiaries to pay for the entire cost of these lighter-weight wheelchairs, then wait for Medicare to reimburse the covered portion for a wheelchair with standard features. Many people don’t have the ability to cover the up-front costs, but these lighter chairs are easier to maneuver, transport and can reduce shoulder injury.

The new bill creates two new codes for the base manual wheelchairs and titanium/carbon fiber wheelchairs so that beneficiaries have easier access to a new chair. It also allows the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services a window to reconsider the coding of ultra-light wheelchairs and the additional cost of this new technology, according to the American Association for Homecare (AAHomecare). Members of AAHomecare and the National Coalition for Assistive and Rehab Technology attended the commitee’s markup of the bill on May 13. 

“Establishing new codes would ultimately give access to Medicare beneficiaries to the ultra-light wheelchairs they need both now and in the future,” AAHomecare explained in a fact sheet. “This budget-neutral bill would allow beneficiaries a much more reasonable path to choose a wheelchair that is significantly lighter and more functional than what Medicare pays for.”

HR 1703 and its Senate companion bill (S 247) were among the durable medical equipment priorities promoted at AAHomecare’s recent Washington Legislative Conference, where advocates met with more than 200 Congressional offices, including 23 meetings with members of the Energy and Commerce Committee.