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This is a critical time for the disability and aging communities as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the federal agency that runs that Medicare program, is in the process of developing new Medicare coverage guidelines for power wheelchairs.   While the ITEM Coalition commends CMS for initiating this revision, we are disappointed by the agency's refusal to address the benefit's most discriminatory aspect - the "in the home" restriction.

Medicare states that it will only provide wheelchairs to those patients who need them for use in their home.  In other words, when a beneficiary is capable of moving about in their home, even using banisters, walls, or furniture for balance, they may not obtain a wheelchair to access anything past their front door.  This includes a physician's office, grocery store, bank, place of worship, or even a mailbox!

The ITEM Coalition feels that besides threatening a patient's health, the "in the home" restriction prevents many beneficiaries from being independent, functioning members of society.      

The ITEM Coalition is collecting stories on how Medicare or other federal or private plans’ coverage policies are promoting or impeding the everyday ability of Americans with disabilities of all ages to gain access to the assistive devices and technologies they need to live as healthy, independent and functional as possible.

Right now, we are particularly interested in your experiences in applying for wheelchairs or power mobility.  Has your physician prescribed a power wheelchairs but Medicare has refused to pay for it?  Has your provider discouraged you from applying for power mobility because they feel you will not qualify for coverage?

Personal stories from individuals are often the most effective tools to raising awareness among policymakers, the press and the public about the need for enhancing coverage of assistive technologies.

When appropriate and with your express consent we will use submitted stories to convey the importance of assistive technology issues to decision makers in Washington, DC.  All stories submitted are strictly confidential and we will not share them without your explicit approval. 

We may wish to contact you about your story, so be sure to provide a functioning email address and your first and last name in the form to the right of these instructions.  Feel free to also include a phone number.

Please use the form below to write your story and send it to us with a just a click of the mouse!