CMS SHOULD POSTPONE IMPLEMENTATION OF COVERAGE POLICY FOR POWER MOBILITY DEVICES, GROUP SAYS

The American Association for Homecare sent a letter Sept. 12 to HHS Secretary Michael Leavitt and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Mark McClellan asking them to postpone implementation of a new coverage policy for power mobility devices (PMDs).

The local coverage determination (LCD) for PMDs was issued by the CMS Aug. 15. As it is currently written, the policy "contains significant health and safety concerns," the association said.

The association is concerned with the recent LCD and coding information, which will force many patients to use "clinically inappropriate products" and impose unrealistic reimbursement restrictions on device use, it said.

CMS should delay the Oct. 1 implementation of the policy to give parties more time to discuss possible modifications to the LCD with the CMS, the association suggested. The agency should then provide a 45-day comment period on all PMD documents, followed by a 45-day notice period and 90-day transition period, to give companies time to update their systems and maintain compliance, the group said.

The association's letter can be viewed at www.aahomecare.org/associations/3208/files/RATCconcernsrePMDLCD091206.pdf (http://www.aahomecare.org/associations/3208/files/RATCconcernsrePMDLCD091206.pdf).