|
||||||
|
||||||
|
Power Wheelchair CriticizedOn February 5, 2005, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a draft on criteria for power wheelchairs and scooters coverage. These criteria will rely on clinical guidance for determining need. The new analysis begins with an assessment if the beneficiary has a mobility limitation preventing him/her from performing one or more mobility-related activities, like household chores at home.This evaluation also considers if the use of assistive device – whether a simple cane or a sophisticated power wheelchair or anything in between would improve the beneficiary's ability to function within the home. Taking into account visual or mental impairment, the criteria further evaluates what would affect the beneficiary's ability to use the mobility equipment (power wheelchair) effectively. According to the CMS Chief Medical Officer Sean Tunis, M.D., the draft of coverage criteria was intended to provide a clear and consistent guidance to Medicare contractors and clinician. This guide will ensure that beneficiaries receive the type of mobility device that will provide clinical benefits. Tunis was the one who spearheaded the agency's move to a more functional assessment of mobility needs. CMS also released new codes to ensure proper payment. These plans were outlined in the Modern Mobility Initiative announced last April. They are also launching new billing codes for power wheelchairs and scooters to ensure that Medicare pays appropriately for these devices. The final NCD is planned to be published in March to provide guidance on how to use and document the new criteria. However, these efforts of the CMS were criticized by the Medicare Rights Center, saying that the new wheelchair coverage policy does not provide mobility and independence for disabled and impaired people. The new approach of Medicare's proposed coverage criteria would replace an older, more rigid standard that relied on whether a patient was “non-ambulatory” or “bed or chair confined”. The new proposed criteria would rely on clinical guidance for evaluating whether a beneficiary needs a device to assist for mobility, and if so, what type of device is needed. According to the Medicare Rights Center president, Robert Hayes, CMS remains old fashioned in its ways and becomes more so by proposing to retain inhumane coverage policy that leaves people with disabilities isolated in their homes and from their communities. In his heavy criticism of the proposed coverage criteria, Hayes repelled the practice of Medicare as a continuing affront to the policies of Presidents George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush who, respectively championed the Americans with Disabilities Act and the New Freedom Initiative. Unlike the CMS policy, Hayes said that the two presidents' steps were aimed at liberating people with disabilities from isolation and dependence. Even as they criticized the criteria being proposed, Hayes acknowledged that they applaud some aspects of it including the function-based determination of medical necessity and the effort to develop new codes for paying wheelchair suppliers. Still, they are demanding that the White House review the new policy especially those that breed on isolation and dependence. -30- About the author: Kay Zetkin discovered the pleasure of writing through her daily journals as a teen-ager. Writing in it helped sort out her thoughts, relieve her feelings and record what she observes of the world. For her, writing is an effective tool to express your viewpoints... To write is already to choose, thus, writing should be done along with a critical mind and a caring soul. She hopes to become more professional, skilled and mature in her craft. Aside from writing Kay likes to spend her time reading. Reading lets her travel to far-off imagined places and situations. She also learns a lot from books, especially from the socio-political and historical ones. For comments and inquiries about the article visit http://www.wheelchairspower.com Circulated by Article Emporium What are Probiotics and do you need them? Copyright 2005 Michael Brooks Have you had your probiotics today? You may have and do not even know it. Probiotics are the small “good” bacteria that help keep the natural balance of organisms in the intestines. Probiotics has been consumed in Europe for hundreds of years bu... How To Gain Weight Until I started following a routine to eat, my gains were minimal. Once I set my eating times to a specific time during the day along with a protein boost, I could see the gains immediately. This sample program is a quick way to get your protein WAY up and generally increase your f... Why Chair Yoga Isn't Yoga just for young “hard bodies,” like you would see on the cover of a magazine? Don't you have to turn your body into a pretzel, to practice Yoga? These are, a few of the many, questions I am asked about Yoga and Chair Yoga. Any idea that Yoga is only for the fit, and ... Eye strain caused by your computer Visual problems like eyes strain may result from overusing the muscles of your eyes. If not careful, eye strain will occur in any eye muscle held in one position for a long period of time. These eye straining activities are as follows: reading, watching television, or sta... Mesothelioma Sarcoma What Is Mesothelioma Sarcoma? Between the two forms of tumors of the mesothelioma, which are either benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous), the latter is more common and dangerous, popularly known as mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is characterized by its dangerous pot... 7 strategies to stop eating junk food ! FACT: Obesity accounts for 300,000 deaths in the U.S. alone. Research into junk food and fast food restaurants have found that there is a direct relationship between the number of fast food restaurants located within your local area and obesity rates. The wa... A Healthy Diet Check Up...From The Neck Up If you have tried every so-called healthy diet plan on the planet and every exercise program from the latest fitness guru and repeatedly failed to achieve your weight loss goals, you probably need a “healthy diet check up...from the neck up.” There's no such thing as a hea... Your Weight Loss Problem: How-To Cure It By Watching Movies Or Reading Books! I don't know anything about you but if you're anything like me then you struggle with a weight loss problem. Your weight loss problem consists of you struggling to keep your weight down or struggling to make your weight go down. Most people who see me wouldn't believe t... The Risk of recurrence in prostate cancer Prostate cancer disease Prostate cancer - the most common form of cancer in men is Prostate cancer, the second leading cause of cancer death. The Main risk factors include age (incidence increases in men over the age of 65 years). It is more prevalent in the western wor... Heart Rate Exercise Training Heart Rate Exercise Training is the zone which helps you to get strong and fit, while keeping a control over your Heart Rate. In the Heart Rate Training Zones, calculations are made by taking into consideration your Maximum Heart Rate and your Resting Heart Rate. Within each traini... Relieving hemorrhoids with natural remedies part I Here are a variety of natural remedies that you can use to relief from your hemorrhoids. You can try one until you find one that works for you. Remember that every person is different and you need to find the remedy that works for you. Cranberry Poultice For rel... The Need for Home First Aid Kits - Accidents can happen anywhere, even in the home. Every home, and especially those with small children, should have a home first aid kit for accidents. No one can predict who will be injured in the home. It may be an older child that must call for help. Inside every home fi... Hair cloning as a solution for hair loss One of the most exciting recent developments in the search to find new solutions for hair loss has been research investigating hair cloning. Properly known as follicle cloning or multiplication, it involves taking a sample of a person's hair follicle cells, multiplying them in a la... Some Dangers One Can Expect From Taking Extra HGH HGH (Human Growth Hormone) has become a popular supplement for those wishing to increase their body mass and strength. But as with all shortcuts in this area, there comes the natural dangers and side effects usually not listed by those selling HGH products. The number one, best way... Power Wheelchair Criticized On February 5, 2005, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a draft on criteria for power wheelchairs and scooters coverage. These criteria will rely on clinical guidance for determining need. The new analysis begins with an assessment if the beneficiary has a ...
|
|
|||||
|
||||||