I'm pleased to report that we have gained an important regulatory victory this week, with Medicare dropping a proposal to require RESNA certification for occupational therapists who perform specialty wheelchair evaluations. This comes after an extensive lobbying effort by AOTA to persuade the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and its contractors that OTs are qualified by virtue of their education and clinical experience to perform seating and mobility evaluations, should they choose to practice in this area.
The original proposal was included in the Medicare DME contractor’s Local Coverage Determination Policy for Power Mobility Devices (PMD). Under the LCD, effective April 1, 2008, occupational therapists would have been required to be RESNA-certified Assistive Technology Practitioners (ATPs) in order to perform the specialty evaluation required for patients receiving Group 2, Group 3, or Group 4 wheelchairs.
I have attached a copy of the letter we received from the DME medical directors informing us of this change. We will be putting this information up on the AOTA web site shortly. Congratulations to Chris Metzler and her staff for their excellent work on this issue. Please let me or Chris know if you have any questions. Thank you.
Fred
LCD reconsideration ruling