Choices for Increased Mobility Act of 2025

Bill: 119-s-247
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Blackburn, Marsha [R-TN]
Introduced: 2025-01-24
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Aging

Disability and paralysis

Health care costs and insurance

Health technology, devices, supplies

Medicare
Latest action: action_date: 2025-01-24
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Summaries:
action_date: 2025-01-24
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><strong>Choices for Increased Mobility Act of 2025</strong></p><p>This bill requires the Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services (CMS) to establish specific billing codes under Medicare for certain materials used in ultralightweight manual wheelchairs.</p><p>Specifically, the CMS must establish at least two billing codes for the base of the wheelchair, with at least one code for a base with titanium or carbon fiber construction material and at least one code for a base without these materials. Suppliers receive the same payment under Medicare for these wheelchairs as would otherwise apply, but may bill beneficiaries for any difference between the payment and the actual charge for the wheelchair. The CMS may require suppliers to inform beneficiaries of their potential financial liability in these cases.</p>

tv_txt: II 119th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 247 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES January 24, 2025 Mrs. Blackburn (for herself and Ms. Duckworth ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance A BILL To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to clarify payment rules for manual wheelchairs under part B of the Medicare program.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Choices for Increased Mobility Act of 2025 . 2. Special rules related to treatment of certain manual wheelchairs under the Medicare program Section 1834(a) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395m(a) ) is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph: (23) Special rules related to treatment of certain manual wheelchairs (A) Requirement to establish separate HCPCS codes for certain manual wheelchairs With respect to ultralightweight manual wheelchairs payable under this subsection furnished on or after January 1, 2026, the Secretary shall establish two or more HCPCS codes, as determined appropriate by the Secretary, for the base of such a wheelchair depending on the construction material used in such base (with 1 or more such codes for such a base with titanium or carbon fiber construction material and 1 or more such codes for such a base without such materials). (B) Payment and beneficiary protections (i) Payment On or after January 1, 2026, in the case where an individual purchases or rents from a supplier an ultralightweight manual wheelchair that has titanium or carbon fiber construction material used in the base of such wheelchair, payment to the supplier shall be made in the frequency and amount as would otherwise be made under this subsection (as described in paragraph (1)(A)) for such wheelchair. (ii) Beneficiary charges The supplier may charge the individual the difference between the payment amount described in clause (i) for such wheelchair and the supplier's actual charge for such wheelchair. (iii) Beneficiary protections In order to inform an individual of their potential financial liability under clause (ii), the Secretary may require a supplier to issue a notice to the individual (in a form and manner determined by the Secretary) prior to the purchase or rent of such ultralightweight manual wheelchair by such individual. .