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The Clinician Task Force is comprised of 28 members, primarily seating and wheelchair practitioners, whose work involves providing wheelchair seating and mobility services to individuals with disabilities. This task force was formed by clinicians concerned about the current CMS coverage policies for wheeled mobility devices. All of our members care deeply about individuals with disabilities who require wheeled mobility devices and support the replacement of the current Medicare wheeled mobility device policy with one that is professionally sound and clinically based.
Rita Hostak and Cara Bachenheimer, governmental affairs specialists who work for Sunrise Medical and Invacare Corporation were the catalysts for the creation of the Clinican Task Force. They also continue to provide technical assistance and support based on their considerable knowledge and experience with the regulatory process.
Most members of the task force have over 10 years of experience practicing in assistive technology, primarily in wheelchair and seating evaluation and recommendation. More detailed information regarding practice location may be found in the list below, but in summary:
- 7 of our members are University based clinicians and/or researchers,
- 7 are rehabilitation/hospital based clinicians,
- 6 work for manufacturers or suppliers,
- 5 are clinicians in private practice with no financial ties to industry and
- 3 practice in other settings (VA hospital, Easter Seals UCP, and Tech Act funded clinic).
Two of our members are rehabilitation engineers and one is a physician. Nine are occupational therapists and 15 are physical therapists. We have 17 RESNA certified Assistive Technology Practitioners (ATP) and 2 certified Assistive Technology Suppliers (ATS). Two of our members hold dual certification (both ATP and ATS). All members of this group are also members of other professional organizations, including RESNA, NRRTS, AAPMR, APTA, and AOTA.
How are we funded?
Funding for the Clinician Task Force is provided through voluntary donations to a fund administered by the Crawford Research Institute at Shepherd Center in Atlanta, Georgia. Funding is provided for expenses incurred by the co-coordinators, including funding for partial salary, administrative expenses and travel. Our telephone conference calls are hosted by Sunrise Medical or Invacare Corporation. Cara Bachenheimer and Rita Hostak participate in our conference calls and our leadership calls and provide us with technical assistance as needed. All other clinicians participating in the work of this task force are volunteering their time and efforts. Additional support and guidance for our work has been provided by United Spinal Association and the ITEM coalition. The CTF assures that at all times the majority of participants have no financial ties to industry.
How Are Our Decisions Made?
The purpose of the CTF is to provide information about wheeled mobility device assessment and decision making to policy – makers that is consistent with contemporary clinical practices and professional standards. The CTF reaches its recommendations by consensus of all participating members.
Independence from Device Manufacturers and Suppliers
As previously stated, the CTF relied on Rita Hostak and Cara Bachenheimer of Sunrise Medical and the Invacare Corporation to get started, and it continues to rely on them for ongoing fund-raising for its activities.
However, the CTF exists and operates independent of all mobility device manufacturers and suppliers. Its members were recruited independently, based on each members’s expertise and reputation in the field of seating, positioning and wheeled mobility assessment and service delivery. Once formed, its decisions are made independently, based on the professional judgment and expertise of its members.
The CTF engages in ongoing communication with Rita Hostak and Cara Bachenheimer who also are involved in discussions with key CMS, DMERC, and congressional staff regarding Medicare wheeled mobility device policy. Neither Rita nor Cara are members of the CTF, and they are not involved in decision making regarding CTF recommendations.
Our Goals
- Develop a clinical guidance document for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to help improve their guidelines for coverage of wheelchairs and POVs.
- Research and analyze existing clinical data and studies; assess support/nonsupport for request to change to Medicare national coverage policy.
- Work with consortium of organizations – APTA, AOTA, RESNA, AAPMR, ITEM – to ensure consistent message
About Us
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Who we are
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Priorities
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History/Our Work
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