Briefs

Big Medicaid cut would ‘devastate' rehab WASHINGTON - The U.S. Senate is considering Medicaid cuts lawmakers say would save $10 billion over five years, according to Reuters. The savings would result from a crack down on a Medicaid funding mechanism that allows states to claim a greater federal reimbursement than was actually spent for services. The cuts, which are included in the Senate's 2005 budget resolution, were quickly condemned by the rehab community, saying they would have a “devastating” impact on consumers and suppliers of seating and wheeled mobility products and other assistive technologies. The budget proposal, however, did not specifically identify how it would achieve the savings. NSM endorsed by firefighter organization NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Disabled Firefighters and Police Officers of America (DFPOA) recently announced its endorsement of Nashville-based National Seating & Mobility (NSM). The DFPOA is a non-profit, volunteer organization that supports officers and the families of disabled, injured or slain police officers and firefighters. “Based on the quality of their services and the professionalism of their people, it was an easy choice to name NSM as the only provider endorsed by the DFPOA,” said DFPOA's founder and executive director, Richard Rapp II. NSM is the nation's largest provider of specialized rehabilitation technology products and services. Outtakes Liko, a major global supplier of patient lifts, has announced the appointment of Richard's Rehab Solutions as its Authorized Home Care Representative in the California-Nevada region. Richard's will be responsible for recruiting local dealers and overseeing the sales and servicing of Liko's Home Care Division products … Medi-Care Orthopedic of Findlay, Ohio was sold in November to Health II. The five new Health II locations will focus on respiratory and rehab, but will not continue Medi-Care's line of disposables ... The Iowa Sentate approved a bill that allows motorized wheelchair users to use their chairs “when a where they need them.” The decision came after police threatened a teenager with fines if he did not keep his wheelchair on the sidewalks.