Industry gets temporary reprieve from PMD demo

WASHINGTON - Just days before it was set to start, CMS hit the brakes on its power mobility device demonstration project.

CMS on Dec. 29 stated that it will delay the demo, which was set to start Jan. 1, "until further notice" and that it will give the industry at least a 30-day notice before the next start date.

"We worked closely (with CMS) to have them understand the impact that this proposal would have on power mobility providers and patients," said Walt Gorski, vice president of government affairs for AAHomecare. Gorski said awareness efforts in the physician and consumer communities also helped generate the grassroots efforts needed to delay the program.

CMS also announced that it would delay its recovery audit prepayment demo, which was set to begin Jan. 1 in 11 states.

CMS stated it would use the additional time to consider the comments and suggestions Medicare received regarding both programs.

Rehab stakeholders say they hope to use that time to refine the PMD demonstration project so that it works for providers, consumers and CMS.

"We still have some work to do," said Seth Johnson, vice president of government affairs for Pride Mobility Products. "This delay provides the industry and other stakeholders the opportunity to work with Medicare and make sure that when they do roll out a demonstration, they do it in an appropriate manner."

Among the industry's goals: bypass the prepay review phase, which would create serious cash flow issues for providers and access issues for patients; and work with CMS to alter the prior authorization process to allow providers to submit the required documentation and to allow physicians to use templates, Johnson said.