Seat elevation by Medicare & Medicaid

In May this year the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that they would fund seat elevation for most Group 3 powered wheelchair users. See here for more information on their decision.

Magic Mobility was one of more than 3,600 organizations and individuals who advocated for powered seat elevation to be reclassified as a standard Medicare funding necessity for most individuals requiring Complex Rehabilitative power-driven wheelchairs.

Like many of the 98% of submissions that stood in favor of this proposal, we drew on common user experiences to illustrate the necessity of power seat elevation to independently reach objects on higher shelves, and to improve line of sight for safety and social inclusion purposes.

We shared testimonials that illustrated the benefits of what CMS describes as “the physical and mental health or psycho-social benefits of conducting eye-level conversations and having vertical visual access to the world.”

Many wheelchair users tell us how important it is to be able to communicate at eye level. 

While this decision does not extend to Group 4 chairs, which have performance capabilities not needed for use in the home, we are delighted for the many powerchair users in the US whose quality of life will be substantially uplifted (!) by this decision.

The lift and tilt (elevate) feature affords users greater independence and helps them to feel more included.

As highlighted in many other articles, this capability is of great benefit to people who work long hours in their powerchairs, whether to engage standing contacts, travel safely through busy walkways, see or reach over counters, adjust positioning more easily, and everything else that comes with being able to live life at standing eye level.

Call your local Magic Mobility dealer or send us an enquiry to find out more about about our power options or about getting into a Magic Mobility powerchair.