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Tag: Martin Szmal


Mobility

New mobility code, but same fee schedule?

June 5, 2015Tracy Orzel

WASHINGTON - While mobility stakeholders support CMS's preliminary decision to establish a new code for center mount power elevating foot platforms with articulation, they are less enthused about the proposed reimbursement.CMS says the new code would continue to be paid at the allowable for power elevating leg rests (E1010)—$1,095—even though the MSRP for power articulating foot platforms is $2,945.“It's going to make it easier to bill once we have an established code, but the reimbursement...

Center Mount Power Elevating Foot Platforms, E1010, Martin Szmal


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Mobility

Mobility stakeholders: Repair issues bigger than GAO says

May 9, 2014Leah Hoenen

WASHINGTON - The brief mention of repair issues in a recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) report on competitive bidding doesn't speak to the severity of the problem, say mobility stakeholders.“I think the GAO report brought some acknowledgement of the problems in the competitive bidding areas, but I think what we want to continue to focus on with CMS is that this is a broader problem requiring fixes not just in the competitive bidding program, but the Medicare program in general,”...

Don Clayback, Martin Szmal, Peter Rankin, Repairs, The Scooter Store


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Mobility

Decision doesn't solve repair woes, stakeholders say

January 17, 2014Elizabeth Deprey

WASHINGTON - CMS's decision to pay for repairs for capped rental DME provided by The Scooter Store and transferred to beneficiaries on Oct. 24 is a step in the right direction, but not a solution, industry stakeholders say. “Before this, no provider could touch those chairs,” said Martin Szmal, founder of The Mobility Consultants. “Now providers can follow the same guidelines of any beneficiary-owned power wheelchair.” CMS stated in a bulletin last week that Medicare...

Alexandra Bennewith, Bob Miller, Capped Rental, Durable Medical Equipment (DME), Martin Szmal, Michele Gunn, Repair, The Scooter Store


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Mobility

Providers in bid areas see glitch in payments

October 18, 2013Elizabeth Deprey

YARMOUTH, Maine - Some providers in Round 2 competitive bidding areas (CBAs) say they're running into trouble billing for complex rehab accessories.  “Sometimes we get paid, sometimes we don't—it's very haphazard,” said Joe McKnight, vice president of business development for Anaheim, Calif.-based Aero Mobility. Because complex rehab is excluded from competitive bidding, providers in Round 2 CBAs must use a KY or KE modifier on claims for accessories like...

CMS, Competitive Bidding, Don Clayback, Joe Mcknight, Martin Szmal, Mary Schutes, NCART


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Mobility

What's The Scooter Store's legacy?

September 27, 2013Elizabeth Deprey

YARMOUTH, Maine - Stakeholders expect the downfall of The Scooter Store to have several lasting effects on the power mobility industry.The Scooter Store announced Sept. 13 that it has been cut out of Rounds 1 and 2 of competitive bidding, and will close for good in the coming weeks.Decreased accessAmong the consequences of the closure, and the controversy and investigation surrounding it: Access to power wheelchairs will likely take a hit, providers say.“I suspect utilization will go down dramatically,”...

Choice Medical Supply, Competitive Bidding, Cory Baker, Mark Farmer, Martin Szmal, Mrs Homecare, Network Medical Supply, rick perrotta, Southwest Mobility, The Scooter Store, tyler riddle


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