Contact CMS about Wheelchair Policy
April 2004

Jennifer Nordheimer and Todd Main write:
We have learned the following:

1. CMS has no plans to issue a public press release about the retraction of the December 9th bulletin;
2. According to the DMERCS and CMS nothing has changed. "The coverage policy remains unchanged from when it was originally put into place in 1985.  CMS will continue to pay claims as it has prior to and following the issuance of the December 9, 2003."

It is clear that CMS issued the statement to the Hill about retracting the bulletin merely to take the pressure off. What concerns me is that folks on the Hill will see that CMS retracted the December bulletin and think that CMS responded to this issue and all is well. When clearly it is not!  Nothing has changed, in fact things seem more confusing and convoluted then ever. 

That is why is it SO IMPORTANT that we get as many people as possible to participate in Wednesday's Open Door Forum on this issue. It's great to have people on the phone but it is ESSENTIAL that we have people in Baltimore.  CMS needs to see the faces as well as hear the voices of those who care about this issue and those who are impacted by it.

We are glad to help arrange transportation. Please let us know if you can participate and what we can do to help you do so.   

Also please feel free to distribute this information.  We need to alert as many people as possible and encourage them to participate in the Open Door Forum on Wednesday, March 31st at 2:00pm in Baltimore.  [Information about the forum from CMS follows.]

Thanks,
Jennifer and Todd
Issue Dynamics Inc.
919 18th Street, NW
10th Floor
Washington, DC 20006
202-263-2936 (direct)
202-263-2962 (fax)

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Update on the Medicare Power Wheelchair Benefit

When: Wednesday, March 31 2004 from 2PM to 3:30PM (EST)

In a continuing effort to communicate with beneficiaries, providers and suppliers about the criteria Medicare uses to determine whether to pay for a power wheelchair for an individual beneficiary, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will host a special power wheelchair Open Door Forum March 31, 2004, at 2pm.

Previous Open Door Forums in the past several months dealing with this benefit have predominantly been Listening Sessions, focused on hearing comments and concerns from the provider and supplier communities relative to the growth of benefit expenditures, the implementation of Medicare coverage policy, the evolution of power wheelchair products and the supplier industry, and the impact of the benefit on Medicare beneficiary lives. Additionally CMS has continued to address these issues monthly during the regularly scheduled Home Health, Hospice & DME Open Door Forum.  CMS has benefited greatly from this discourse, and at this upcoming forum will hold an open dialogue with interested stakeholders.

The forum will allow suppliers and beneficiaries to speak directly with CMS senior staff, as well as the medical directors of the four Durable Medical Equipment Regional Carriers (DMERCs) about Medicare coverage policy for power wheelchairs.

There are 2 ways to participate in this Open Door Forum Listening Session, (1) by phone or (2) "In-person".

1. To participate by phone: Dial:  1-800-837-1935  & Reference Conference ID:  6334600
   Note: TTY Communications Relay Services are available for the Hearing Impaired.  For TTY services dial 7-1-1 or 1- 800-855-2880 and for Internet Relay services, a Relay Communications Assistant will help.
   
2. To participate "In-person" at the CMS Single Site building in Baltimore, an RSVP is required. To RSVP, send your name along with the name of your organization and e-mail to Homehealth Hospice. Please arrive no later than 1:30 PM.  Photo identification is required at security points.

ADDRESS: CMS Single Site Building Auditorium
7500 Security Boulevard
Baltimore, MD 21244

ENCORE: 1-800-642-1687; Conf. ID# 6334600 "Encore" is a recording of this call that can be accessed by dialing 1- 800-642-1687 and entering the Conf. ID beginning 2 hours after the call has ended. The recording expires after 4 full days.

For Forum Schedule updates, Listserv registration and Frequently Asked Questions please visit our website.

Thank you.

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