|
September 11, 2003
Contact: Christine Harris
(202) 349-4260
[Washington, DC]-- In an open-door meeting held by the Centers for Medicare
and Medicaid Services (CMS) today, the ITEM Coalition expressed support
for the goals of the Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General’s
10-point plan to combat fraud and abuse in the power wheelchair benefit
under Medicare.
“We support the federal government’s efforts to eliminate egregious fraud
and scams in the Medicare power wheelchair benefit because every dollar
spent on a fraudulent claim harms the Medicare program and takes away funds
to meet the legitimate needs of people with disabilities and chronic conditions,”
stated Henry Claypool, a member of the ITEM coalition’s steering committee
and a power wheelchair user himself. He cautioned, however, “that the OIG
and HHS should monitor the effects of the anti-fraud program and proceed
carefully to prevent unintended consequences and inappropriate denials
of legitimate claims.”
The ITEM Coalition also urged Medicare to seize upon the new initiative
as an opportunity to revisit and update its current coverage policies for
mobility devices.
Lee Page, ITEM Coalition Steering Committee Member and Associate Advocacy
Director at the Paralyzed Veterans of America said, “Medicare’s coverage
policies for wheelchairs are too restrictive. For example, they only recognize
the need for a wheelchair ‘in the patient’s home.’ This policy prevents
many persons with mobility limitations from maximizing their ability to
function independently in the community and keeps them prisoners in their
own homes.”
“CMS’s current policy runs contrary to current medical practice, social
mores and laws,” said Kim Glaun, Washington Counsel for the Medicare Rights
Center. “Just as the federal government must be vigilant in rooting out
fraud, it must also avoid consigning hundreds of thousand of Americans
to the fate of chronic isolation.”
The ITEM Coalition is a consumer-led coalition formed in 2003. Its over 70 member organizations include a diverse set of disability organizations, aging organizations, other consumer groups, labor organizations, voluntary health associations, and non-profit provider associations. The ITEM Coalition’s purpose is to raise awareness and build support for policies that will improve access to assistive devices, technologies and services for people of all ages with disabilities and chronic conditions. For more information on the ITEM Coalition, please go to www.ITEMCoalition.org.
###
|
