September 2021
Each month "NCART News" delivers the latest Complex Rehab Technology (CRT) Medicare and Medicaid updates, advocacy opportunities, and event information all in one place.
Get Congressional Support for Seat Elevation and Standing
As reported, we have been working with the ITEM Coalition to secure Medicare coverage for power Seat Elevation and Standing Systems used with Complex Rehab Technology (CRT) power wheelchairs.

A formal request for Medicare coverage was submitted to CMS in September 2020 (Reconsideration of the related National Coverage Determination) and was officially “deemed complete” in November 2020. Unfortunately, CMS’ review of the coverage request has not formally progressed since that time.

To encourage CMS to prioritize the request and proceed to the next step in the review process, a bipartisan Congressional sign-on letter is being circulated in the House of Representatives by Reps. Jim Langevin (D-RI) and Don Young (R-AK). You can view the Dear Colleague letter and the text of the letter to CMS here. We expect to have a Senate sign-on letter available shortly and will share that as soon as available so you can follow up with your respective Senators.

Your assistance is needed to get your Representative to sign on. Please use the email link at www.protectmymobility.org or click the button below to ask your Representative to add their name to the bipartisan letter and support CMS moving forward to the next step in their review of the coverage request. The deadline for signatures is October 1.

Thank you for taking action to improve access to CRT!
Taking the CRT Message to Congress
Last week’s September 21, 2021 CRT Virtual Congressional Fly-In was a big success as our collective advocacy brought the CRT access message directly to Congress. This annual visit to Washington, DC is produced by NCART and NRRTS to keep CRT initiatives on the Congressional radar.

It was done remotely this year for the first time which presented a new format and different training and presentation challenges. We are very happy to report that it all went smoothly. There were 230 visits with Congressional offices during which CRT advocates were able to provide important education and insight to policy-influencers regarding the need to protect access to CRT for people with disabilities.

The 184 Virtual Fly-In attendees represented 44 states and met with their Members and staff to ask Congress for support in three areas:

ASK 1: Sign on to the bipartisan Congressional letter to CMS Administrator Brooks-LaSure asking CMS to move forward with the pending Medicare coverage request for power seat elevation and standing systems on CRT power wheelchairs.

ASK 2: Provide additional Federal assistance in light of the Pandemic operating challenges and increased expenses so it does not become cost prohibitive for CRT companies to continue to provide the equipment and services needed by people with disabilities.

ASK 3: Recognize the benefits of the unique CRT telehealth flexibilities put in place during the Public Health Emergency and ensure the Physical and Occupational Therapist remote options relating to CRT continue to be available post-PHE to maintain access.

Big thanks to all the Virtual Fly-In attendees and sponsors that provided the needed energy and support. An event like this is not possible without them and we sincerely appreciate everyone's commitment.

As we all know, CRT advocacy is a marathon, not a sprint. Positive policy and legislative results take consistent outreach. NCART will be working with attendees to ensure that Congressional offices continue to hear from CRT advocates in the weeks and months ahead.

The investment made by so many last week is the beginning of important relationships with Members of Congress that will be needed for us to be successful with our CRT access initiatives!
CRT Community Comes Together for Awareness Week
Last week was National CRT Awareness Week, our annual opportunity to have the CRT community come together to promote a better understanding of what CRT is, who uses it, and why access is important. We’re excited to share that we had nearly 100 organizations and many additional individuals getting involved this year!

It was great to see everyone's creativity in sharing the CRT message. We organized the week with a day dedicated to each of the groups in the CRT community:

  • Day One - CRT Consumer Day
  • Day Two - CRT Advocacy Day (Virtual CRT Congressional Fly-In)
  • Day Three - CRT Clinician Day
  • Day Four - CRT Provider Day
  • Day Five - CRT Manufacturer Day

We want to sincerely thank all our advocacy partners and other organizations who invested time in developing their messaging and programs to raise awareness in some way. Whether you participated in the Virtual CRT Congressional Fly-in, hosted group discussions, posted a story to your social media, made a video, recorded a podcast, or shared an NCART post or email your efforts directly contributed to others having a better understanding of what CRT is and why access matters.

Even though CRT Awareness Week has come to an end, the advocacy work to protect CRT will continue. Follow NCART on social media, join our CRT industry webinars, and be sure you’re checking your email inboxes for Advocacy Alerts so that you can stay involved throughout the year.
CRT and Telehealth
The availability of telehealth continues to be a much-discussed topic in Congressional offices and related legislation is expected to be passed later this year. While there are multiple bills currently being considered, each with a variety of provisions, it is important that a permanent option for CRT-related services is incorporated.

The CRT telehealth message to Congress is focused on permanently retaining the current ability for Physical and Occupational Therapists to have a telehealth option to provide their CRT related services on a remote basis. Having this provision secured in legislation will ensure continued access once the Public Health Emergency has ended.

NCART is in the process of updating our position papers and working with CRT stakeholders to develop resources that support our request. We will be sharing these documents with advocates as we move ahead.
October CRT Industry Webinar
It has been a very busy month for Complex Rehab Technology and we know there will be lots of new details to share in October. A great way to stay up-to-date is to register for the October 26, 2021 CRT Industry Webinar. This no-cost presentation is hosted by NCART, NRRTS, US Rehab, and the Clinician Task Force as a way to provide needed information to the CRT community. Click the button below to register today!
State CRT Work in September
NCART continues its work on state-level matters that impact access to CRT. If you are currently dealing with a CRT issue that we can help with, please send us an email using the button below. Here are the highlights from our September work:
  • Illinois- An NCART workgroup held multiple meetings with the Department to discuss CRT denials and reimbursement issues; discussions are ongoing.
  • Maine- NCART submitted comments in response to proposed policy updates impacting purchase options for CRT power chairs; policy implementation has been delayed and discussions are ongoing.
  • Michigan- NCART is testifying at a Senate hearing in support of state CRT legislation (SB-499 and SB-500); provider discussions regarding CRT funding will be held in October.
  • Nevada- NCART met with a group of CRT providers regarding a DMEPOS rate review; meetings with the Department are being requested for October.
  • Utah- NCART clarified a recently approved State Plan Amendment with language impacting reimbursement for CRT miscellaneous items; other FY 2023 budget request discussions are ongoing.
  • Wisconsin- NCART and CRT providers have submitted comments in response to draft policy language addressing state CRT legislation implementation passed in recent years.
New NCART Members
We are very proud to share that NCART continues to grow with the addition of new provider member, Better Living Medical. Located in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, Better Living Medical offers quick and reliable CRT services to their surrounding community. We thank them for their support and it is great to have them joining our efforts to educate and advocate for CRT access.

If your company provides or manufactures CRT, join NCART to help us fight the negative trends in coverage and payment. Your support will enable us to continue to advocate aggressively on your behalf as we work to maintain and establish policies needed to ensure people with significant disabilities and chronic medical conditions can access the specialized equipment and services they require and you provide. Learn more by clicking the button below.
CRT Event Calendar
NCART welcomes opportunities to support the CRT community by participating in events that promote education and advocacy. Here are some of the upcoming events that we're proud to help publicize:
Monthly Motivation
Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Month
September is Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Month. In the video below Kenny Salvini, the United Spinal Association's 2019 Advocate of the Year, shares his advocacy story. He discusses how his wheelchair, the support of organizations like United Spinal, and advocating year after year for policies that change the lives of individuals with disabilities have transformed his life into a meaningful mission that he is grateful to be a part of.

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