May 2020
Each month "NCART News" delivers the latest Complex Rehab Technology (CRT) Medicare and Medicaid updates, advocacy opportunities, and event information all in one place.
COVID-19 and CRT Access
We want to thank everyone who continues to work hard and make the sacrifices that enable our nation to rise up to meet the COVID-19 Pandemic challenges. At the top of that list are the healthcare professionals: the dedicated physicians, nurses, therapists, researchers, and supporting staff serving their local communities. Thanks also to the federal, state, and private agencies for developing and issuing needed policy changes and guidance. Finally, thanks to all involved in recommending, prescribing, manufacturing, providing, and servicing Complex Rehab Technology (CRT) to help people with disabilities stay independent, safe, and healthy. We will continue to work together in the months ahead!
May COVID-19 Activities
During the month of May our focus was on developing, sharing, and advocating for needed critical guidance and solutions to the CRT challenges presented by COVID-19. Here is a summary of some of the CRT work from this month:

  •  NCART, NRRTS, U.S. Rehab, and the Clinician Task Force held three more no-cost CRT Industry COVID-19 Webinars to provide timely information, guidance, and resources. The webinars covered Medicare policy changes and billing guidance, telehealth protocols, legislative action, current practices from the field, and available financial assistance for CRT businesses. These have been well received and offered a great forum for updates and discussion. You can access the recordings and handouts at www.ncart.us. The next webinar will be Thursday June 11 at 4:00 PM ET and you can register here.
  • The CRT COVID-19 CRT Workgroup (consisting of CRT providers, manufacturers, and clinicians) continued to meet regularly to identify ongoing issues, develop action plans, and secure solutions.
  • We worked on clarifying the details regarding the CMS announcement authorizing Physical Therapists and Occupational Therapists as Telehealth practitioners and the related billing protocols.
  • We continued to communicate with our contacts at CMS and at state Medicaid programs and teamed up with other industry organizations around the actions needed to protect access to CRT.
  • We continued to push the applications and benefits of remote technology and telehealth as an option in the timely and effective provision of CRT. The NCART COVID-19 CRT Remote Technology Advisory has been used with policy makers as a reference for guidelines, examples, and billing codes.
  • We maintained communication with the DME Medicare Administrative Contractors on the need for further CRT policy implementation instructions and clarifications.
  • We have developed comments to be submitted to CMS on their Interim Final Rule CMS-1744-IFC “Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Policy and Regulatory Revisions in Response to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency”.
CRT and COVID-19 - Still Have Questions?
The CRT Industry COVID-19 Webinars are designed to provide resources and to answer questions about access to CRT during the Public Health Emergency.

We want to continue supporting the CRT community by offering needed information. If you have questions about policies, guidelines, billing, or other aspects of providing CRT use the button below so we can help you find the answers you need!
State Budget Monitoring and Outreach
In the wake of COVID-19, we anticipate many states will be forced to adjust their annual budgets and implement cuts in order to offset the lost revenues and increased costs incurred from the Pandemic. 

We have begun monitoring states for these Medicaid changes and other reductions that might negatively impact access to CRT. An NCART workgroup is developing documentation for state outreach and we will be contacting policy makers and legislators to request that CRT be excluded from any potential budget reductions. 

If you know of Medicaid cuts being discussed in your state, please send an email to Mickae Lee, NCART Director of Advocacy and Communication, by clicking the button below.
Access2CRT Summit Cancelled
NCART and NRRTS previously announced a decision to postpone the March 30-31 Access2CRT Summit with the hope of rescheduling later in the fall. Unfortunately, we have made the difficult final decision to not hold a Summit this year in light of the continued consequences from the COVID-19 Pandemic. We believe this is in the best interest of everyone involved.

As an alternative for 2020, we will be planning a virtual grassroots event to maintain our Congressional relationships as a part of our annual National CRT Awareness Week (August 10-14). Plans for a Summit in 2021 will begin later this year. Stay tuned for further details.

Thanks go to our registrants and our sponsors for their continued support as we navigate the road ahead. For questions about your registration or sponsorship, please contact Amy Odom at aodom@nrrts.org . 
30 Years of the ADA
The country will be celebrating the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as we approach its 30th birthday on July 26th. To commemorate this major legislation, NCART has launched an ADA30 Campaign that has two purposes. First, to celebrate the many improvements the ADA has created for people with disabilities and help highlight the additional work needed. Second, to reinforce with legislators and policy makers that adequate access to CRT plays a critical role for many people with disabilities in enabling them to benefit from the ADA provisions relating to accessibility, transportation, and employment.

We've created a dedicated website at www.Access2CRT.org/ADA and the campaign will run through the end of July. To get things started, we have released the video below featuring retired Senator Tom Harkin, a recognized disability rights champion. One of the original sponsors of the ADA, Senator Harkin was a true leader for the rights of people with disabilities during his 40 years in Congress and continues that mission. Special thanks go to U.S. Rehab and The Harkin Institute for their co-involvement in the video production.

Over the coming months, we will be sharing more details about each Title of the ADA, the role access to CRT plays, testimonials from Congress and the CRT Community, and more. Be sure to follow us on social media (links are at the bottom of the newsletter) and visit www.Access2CRT.org/ADA to share these advocacy resources with your own followers!
NCART Welcomes New Members
We are very happy to announce the addition of two new NCART members this month! Please join us in welcoming CRT providers Freedom Mobility of Rodeo, California and Herron & Smith of Hooksett, New Hampshire. We sincerely appreciate their commitment to protecting access to CRT and their investment to support our advocacy work.

If your company provides or manufactures CRT, and is not an NCART member yet, please consider joining. We need everyone’s involvement and support to help fight the negative trends in coverage and payment. Your membership will enable us to continue advocating aggressively on your behalf to maintain and establish policies needed to ensure adequate access to CRT. For more information on becoming an NCART member, click below!
Monthly Motivation
Global Accessibility Awareness Day - May 21
Global Accessibility Awareness Day was celebrated on May 21. The United Spinal Association continued to raise awareness by creating and sharing a video that highlights the life Ian lives with the help of digital access, inclusion, and CRT. Access to these technologies allows Ian to stay productive and healthy while keeping his distance during these times. Here's to every day being a day of Global Accessibility Awareness!

NCART | info@ncart.us | 716-839-9728 | www.ncart.us