Complex rehab stakeholders prep request, form consortium

WASHINGTON - Complex rehab stakeholders have taken steps to advance key initiatives related to power seat elevation and power standing systems, and telehealth and remote services.

Stakeholders, led by the ITEM Coalition, have created four work groups (clinical, reimbursement/technology, legal and congressional/advocacy) to work on filing a request for reconsideration of the Medicare NCD for power seat elevation and power standing systems. They're almost ready to submit that request, said Don Clayback during a recent webcast.

“We've also had a preliminary call with CMS officials,” said Clayback, executive director of NCART. “They asked some questions, (so) there's a couple of additional pieces of information we're going to be adding. But it was a positive call. They encouraged us to move forward on the path we're on.

The timeline for CMS processing these requests is “a little bit flexible,” but it will be good for stakeholders to have this first step behind them, Clayback said.

Once the request is complete, stakeholders will share it publicly, he said.

“The submission itself is 60 pages and includes exhibits, libraries of articles, and evidence and studies that validate the medical side of power seat elevation and power standing,” Clayback said.

Stakeholders have also created the CRT Remote Services Consortium to establish permanent policies within federal, state and commercial programs around telehealth for physicians and clinicians, and remote services for providers.

“(We want) to make sure remote services are available as an option,” Clayback said. “There's nothing that's going to require it, but they have a place. We're all convinced from an outcomes perspective, a timely access perspective and a comprehensive evaluation perspective that having remote services and telehealth available really improves the experience.”

The consortium represents a cross section of providers, clinicians, consumers and others; and includes two subgroups, one related to policy and one to advocacy.

“There's a lot of work (to do), but the good news is, we have a consortium that will provide a good umbrella for everyone to work under,” Clayback said.