It’s National #CRTAwareness Week, and United Spinal Association is focused on standing devices and seat elevation embedded in power wheelchairs. Because of Medicare’s antiquated in-the-home rule, many people with SCI/D whose health could benefit from wheelchairs with these features cannot obtain them.
“Medicare is limiting our access to standing and elevation features for our power chairs,” says United Spinal Association Grassroots Advocacy Manager Annie Streit, a powerchair user with quadriplegia. “These features aren’t covered because Medicare decided they are not important for outdoor use. We believe they are important, and if people cannot afford them, it limits their independence.”
The in-the-home rule dates back to 1965 and was a tool to allow people to use wheelchairs outside of hospital settings. It was not intended to consign disabled people to their homes but rather to enable them to live independently. Today, that rule restricts wheelchairs and many wheelchair components from being used by Medicare recipients to move about their community. Private insurance often bases its rates on what Medicare will cover, which decreases access to necessary equipment like seat elevation and standing features even more.
But it’s not just these features that require advocates’ attention. As long as the in-the-home rule is in place, access to necessary CRT will remain restricted.
“Wheelchairs should help with independence as well as health and all the side effects that come along with spinal cord injury and other mobility disabilities,” says Streit. “We need our advocates to help raise awareness and share our action alert to get more coverage for CRT that is needed both inside the home and outside the home.” Streit also asks United Spinal members and all wheelchair users to share their wheelchair denial stories.
United Spinal and others have demanded that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services allow wheelchair users to submit comments on both seat elevation and standing devices. CMS has just opened up a public comment period for seat elevation and says a comment period on standing devices will open at a later date. To submit comments directly to CMS, click here.
United Spinal is a steering committee member of the ITEM Coalition. For more information on seat elevation and standing devices, visit the ITEM Coalition’s Rise4Access website. Join our United community by signing up for a free membership. To support our mission, donate here.