Healthcare Industry Goes To DC To Garner Support For Complex Rehab Technology Coverage Legislation

June 29, 2012 - PRLog -- Anaheim, CA— It is tough to usher a legislative bill through Congress, even a good one. Less than 4% of the bills introduced in 2009-2010 were actually passed.  Getting the attention of legislators and standing out from the mass of bills introduced each year can be a major public relations challenge. To give a boost to recently introduced H.R. 4378, (Ensuring Access to Quality Complex Rehabilitation Technology Act of 2012), sponsored by Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-NY7), MK Battery joined in with over 100 healthcare industry professionals and 40 dedicated consumers in an advocacy trip to Washington DC.  “Our mission was to secure co-sponsors from both parties for the bill,” said Rick Spiegel, MK Battery Vice President of Operations.  “We, as a group, made over 200 Congressional visits.  We are also soliciting support for the introduction of a companion bill to H.R. 4378 in the Senate.”

In order to gain legislative support, Dennis Sharpe, Home Medical Equipment Category Manager for MK Battery, said “we hope to educate legislators on the importance of providing a separate benefit category that will improve and protect access to complex rehabilitation technology products and services. We believe this is the best way to meet the unique needs of individuals with complex disabilities.”

Introduced April 18, 2012, the language for H.R. 4378 was written by a broad coalition of advocates including AAHomecare, National Coalition for Assistive and Rehab Technology, National Registry of Rehabilitation Technology Suppliers, Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America, and United Spinal Association.

About H.R. 4378

Ensuring Access to Quality Complex Rehabilitation Technology Act of 2012 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to cover, as medical and other health services, complex rehabilitation technology items designed and configured for a specific qualified individual to meet that individual's unique: (1) medical, physical, and functional needs related to a medical condition; and (2) capacities for basic activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental ADLs.  Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to: (1) designate complex rehabilitation technology items (excluding adaptive equipment to operate motor vehicles or certain prosthetic devices and orthotics); and (2) establish eligibility criteria for them. Prescribes requirements for payments for CRT items. Directs the Secretary to establish standards for clinical conditions for CRT item payment as well as quality standards for suppliers of such items. Directs the Secretary to establish a Healthcare Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) coding subset that uses specified HCPCS codes for CRT items.  Requires payment for replacement of a CRT item (or any part of one), without regard to certain continuous use or useful lifetime restrictions established for items of durable medical equipment (DME), if a qualified ordering practitioner determines that a replacement item (or part) is necessary.
For more information visit www.access2crt.org

About MK Battery
MK Battery, founded in 1983, markets sealed batteries for a variety of applications through O.E.M.'s, distributors and dealers.  Headquartered in Anaheim, CA, MK Battery now operates 20 distribution centers in the USA, six in Europe, and one in Australia.  MK Battery brands are sold and distributed on all seven continents.
For more information on MK Battery:
toll free: 800.372.9253    tel: 714.937.1033 fax: 714.937.0818     e-mail: info@mkbattery.com  www.mkbattery.com