New Standards for Medicare and Medicaid Suppliers Proposed
Supplier of electric wheelchairs and power mobility options embraces new standards.
New Braunfels, TX (PRWEB) November 30, 2005
Today, the SCOOTER Store, a supplier of electric wheelchairs (http://www. thescooterstore. com), scooters and other power mobility options, submitted comments in support of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid's proposed quality standards for suppliers of durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies (DMEPOS). The SCOOTER Store hopes that CMS will consider the proposed standards as a minimum requirement for any supplier to the Medicare community and that they continue to strengthen and extend the standards in advance of publishing final requirements.
“Unfortunately, the integrity of dedicated power mobility suppliers has been under attack for several years because of fraud and abuse perpetrated by a few crooks posing as honest DME suppliers," said The SCOOTER Store President Mike Pfister. "A new level of standards should give the government confidence that the power mobility benefit will be reliably provided to needy and qualified beneficiaries.”
The SCOOTER Store’s comments suggest strong support for the new requirements including: participant accreditation, internal compliance programs, internal quality programs, improved customer service capabilities, improved consumer awareness and training, internal auditing and monitoring, more strict employment hiring practices, industry certifications, frequent performance reporting to CMS, beneficiary satisfaction surveys, historical equipment tracking, and enhanced home assessments. The SCOOTER Store's comments can be found at: www. thescooterstore. com/governmentrelations/qualitystandards. aspx (http://www. thescooterstore. com/governmentrelations/qualitystandards. aspx )
While the proposed standards are being considered for adoption in 2007, The SCOOTER Store is committed to compliance with each of the proposed standards by April 1, 2006. Many of the elements are already reflected in the requirements of accreditation, which The SCOOTER Store earned in 2003 from the Accreditation Commission for Health Care. In addition, The SCOOTER Store recently earned a "Senior Approved" Certification with a higher than 90 percent senior satisfaction rating required by Senior Approved Services, an independent consumer-driven survey company.
Since 1991, The SCOOTER Store has helped transform the lives of more than 200,000 people in need of power chairs and scooters (http://www. thescooterstore. com/products) across America. Over 90,000 physicians rely on The SCOOTER Store's expertise and quality service. Headquartered in New Braunfels, Texas, with retail locations, distribution centers and a network of service specialists all across America, The SCOOTER Store is dedicated to helping people with limited mobility achieve freedom and independence in their daily life.
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