Tag: Complex Rehab

LUBBOCK, Texas – NRRTS has a full slate of 24 live webinars scheduled for 2023 – and it’s still adding more.  Executive Director Weesie Walker said in late December that NRRTS was working on adding a webinar on the funding climate for complex rehab technology in Canada.  “If you’re talking postural support or seating and positioning, it doesn’t matter what side of the border you’re on,” she said. “Funding is the one that, if you’re...

YARMOUTH, Maine – Complex rehab stakeholders could start using a “basic order for repair” on Jan. 1 to meet Medicare’s requirement to show continued need.  Previously, Medicare required that providers show continued need in the medical record within 12 months of a repair.  “This is huge,” said Dan Fedor, director of reimbursement and education for U.S. Rehab, a division of The VGM Group. “This means an order covers repairs and continued need...

PITTSBURGH – Hybrid events are increasingly more common, but the 38th International Seating Symposium will take place exclusively in-person on April 13-15 at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh.  “We’re focusing on making this a really good in-person event,” said Mark Schmeler, PhD, OTR/L, ATP, associate professor and vice chair for educating and training in the Department of Rehabilitation Science & Technology at the University of Pittsburgh. “We’re...

AKRON, Ohio – Johnny Miller has been appointed to the executive committee of NCART. Miller, owner of Miller’s, has served on the NCART board of directors since 2016. “I am honored to again serve on the Executive Committee alongside an outstanding group of industry leaders,” he said. “NCART is poised for an important 2023 as we focus on seeking Medicare coverage for power wheelchair seat elevation and power standing technology. Additionally, I am eager to help with efforts...

LUBBOCK, Texas – NRRTS has begun searching for an executive director to replace Weesie Walker, ATP/SMS.  Walker, who has led NRRTS for nine years, will remain involved in the organization, but will focus on the CRT Supplier Certificate Program.  “Few things in life can be more rewarding than supporting the professionals who provide technology for people with disabilities,” Walker wrote in “Weesie’s World” in the latest issue of the organization's...

LUBBOCK, Texas – NRRTS will kick off its 2023 webinar lineup with “What Parents Want CRT Suppliers to Know” on Jan. 10 at 7 p.m. EST. During the webinar, a panel made up of parents of children who use complex rehab technology will describe the skills they seek in a supplier, identify their expectations and name three ways the process of providing complex rehab could be improved. “Hearing their firsthand interactions will offer insight on what matters the most to them...

YARMOUTH, Maine – Stakeholders have shared a list of complex rehab priorities for 2023, including several holdovers from 2022, like securing Medicare coverage for power seat elevation devices.  On that priority, stakeholders are well on their way, with CMS expected to issue a decision memo on Feb. 15 and, following another comment period, to finalize coverage in May.  “There are next steps,” said Wayne Grau, executive director of NCART. “If (the decision) is...

PITTSBURGH – A new study showing the functional mobility, employment and safety benefits of seat elevation devices is a good example of how large data sets can be used to, hopefully, guide policy and practice, says Mark Schmeler.  The study, published online in Assistive Technology, the official journal of RESNA, in October, pulled findings from the Functional Mobility Assessment tool, which now has more than 13,000 data points.   “This is the first example our industry...

MINNEAPOLIS – Reliable Medical Supply’s acquisition of Chicago-based Orbit Medical on Dec. 1 allows the company to diversify its business model without changing its core products and services, says CEO Katie Stevens.  Orbit Medical, like Reliable Medical, is a full-line HME provider that specializes in power mobility and complex rehab, but it focuses on serving the needs of patients who are being discharged from the hospital or who are receiving home health care services.  “They’re...

ARLINGTON, Va. – RESNA has announced that its annual conference will take place July 24-26 at the New Orleans Marriott. The event, which has the theme “Move to the BeAT of Innovation,” will feature two and a half days of education, networking, product demos, scientific paper platforms, student competitions and roundtables. Registration for the event will open in February. Listen to a full announcement with RESNA President Carmen DiGiovine here.