Rep. Zeldin Secures House Passage of His Legislative Proposal to Protect Access to Critical Equipment for Individuals with Disabilities

LongIsland.com

Zeldin remarks on House passage of the IMPROVE Act.

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NY Congressman Lee Zeldin.

Photo by: Office of Congressman Lee Zeldin

Long Island, NY - December 12, 2018 - Today, Congressman Lee Zeldin (R, NY-1) made the following remarks on the House floor ahead of House passage of the IMPROVE Act, which included his language to protect access to critical equipment for individuals with disabilities, which he first introduced earlier this Congress as H.R. 3730.
 
“Mr. Speaker, Today, I rise to speak in support of language added to the IMPROVE Act that would protect access to critical equipment for individuals with disabilities.
 
“In November of 2014, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued a rule stating that accessories used on complex rehabilitative wheelchairs would no longer be a part of the fixed fee schedule and would be subject to competitive bidding pricing, decreasing access to customized wheelchairs and accessories relied on by adults and children with disabilities.
 
“My language included in this legislation will provide a commonsense clarification to ensure those in the Medicare program do not have to go through the difficulty of adjusting to new rules and pricing arbitrarily set by CMS. This will ensure that they have reliable and consistent access to the equipment they need.
 
“I urge my colleagues to protect those with disabilities and their access to the resources they rely on.
 
“Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I yield back.”