Choices for Increased Mobility Act of 2025
Summary
What This Bill Does
The Choices for Increased Mobility Act changes Medicare payment coding for ultralightweight manual wheelchairs. For wheelchairs furnished on or after January 1, 2026, the Health and Human Services Secretary must establish two or more HCPCS codes for wheelchair bases based on construction material, including at least one code for titanium or carbon-fiber bases and one or more codes for bases that do not use those materials. When a supplier furnishes an ultralightweight manual wheelchair with a titanium or carbon-fiber base, the supplier receives the same Medicare payment frequency and payment amount otherwise available under durable medical equipment rules, but may charge the beneficiary the difference between that Medicare payment and the supplier's actual charge. The Secretary may require suppliers to notify beneficiaries before purchase or rental of potential financial liability.
Who Benefits and How
Medicare beneficiaries who need ultralightweight manual wheelchairs benefit from clearer access to titanium and carbon-fiber base options within Medicare coding, although they may have to pay extra charges. Wheelchair suppliers benefit because they can furnish higher-cost titanium or carbon-fiber bases while charging beneficiaries the difference above Medicare payment. Titanium and carbon-fiber wheelchair manufacturers benefit from a Medicare coding pathway that distinguishes their materials from other ultralightweight bases. Clinicians and wheelchair users benefit from more transparent product categories when matching mobility needs to chair construction. Medicare contractors gain specific HCPCS codes for processing claims.
Who Bears the Burden and How
Medicare beneficiaries choosing titanium or carbon-fiber bases may pay out-of-pocket costs above the Medicare payment amount. The HHS Secretary and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services must establish the new HCPCS codes and may need to write notice requirements. Wheelchair suppliers must comply with coding rules and any advance beneficiary notice requirement. Medicare administrative contractors must update claims processing for the new ultralightweight wheelchair base codes. Beneficiary advocates may need to monitor whether extra charges limit access for lower-income wheelchair users.
Key Provisions
- Requires HHS to establish two or more HCPCS codes for ultralightweight manual wheelchair bases furnished after January 1, 2026.
- Requires at least one code for titanium or carbon-fiber wheelchair bases.
- Requires one or more codes for ultralightweight bases without titanium or carbon fiber.
- Preserves Medicare's existing payment amount and frequency for covered wheelchairs.
- Allows suppliers to charge beneficiaries the difference between Medicare payment and actual supplier charge for titanium or carbon-fiber bases.
- Authorizes HHS to require advance notice to beneficiaries about potential financial liability.
Evidence Chain:
This summary is generated from the full bill text using AI analysis. Expand "Detailed Analysis" below for identified beneficiaries/burden bearers.
At a Glance
What This Bill Does
Requires Medicare to create separate HCPCS codes for ultralightweight manual wheelchair bases furnished on or after January 1, 2026, including at least one code for titanium or carbon-fiber bases, allows suppliers to bill beneficiaries for the difference between Medicare payment and the supplier's actual charge for those bases, and permits HHS to require advance notice of potential beneficiary liability.
Key Policy Areas
Medicare, Medical Devices, Disability
Primary Purpose
Requires Medicare to create separate HCPCS codes for ultralightweight manual wheelchair bases furnished on or after January 1, 2026, including at least one code for titanium or carbon-fiber bases, allows suppliers to bill beneficiaries for the difference between Medicare payment and the supplier's actual charge for those bases, and permits HHS to require advance notice of potential beneficiary liability.
Policy Domains
House resolution provisions
Identified Gains
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation- Medicare beneficiaries needing ultralightweight manual wheelchairs
- Wheelchair suppliers
- Titanium wheelchair manufacturers
- Carbon-fiber wheelchair manufacturers
- Clinicians serving wheelchair users
- Medicare contractors
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
Identified Costs
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation- Medicare beneficiaries choosing titanium bases
- Medicare beneficiaries choosing carbon-fiber bases
- HHS Secretary
- Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
- Wheelchair suppliers
- Medicare administrative contractors
- Beneficiary advocates
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
Sponsors
Legislative Progress
ReportedOrdered to be Reported by the Yeas and Nays: 45 …
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee (Amended) by Voice Vote.
Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Introduced in House
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in …
Mr. Joyce of Pennsylvania (for himself and Mr. Buchanan) introduced …
Stakeholder Effects
cui bono?How this legislation distributes effects. Mention counts reflect frequency, not effect magnitude.
Carbon-fiber wheelchair manufacturers, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Medicare administrative contractors
Positive-direction: Carbon-fiber wheelchair manufacturers, Medicare beneficiaries needing ultralightweight manual wheelchairs, Titanium wheelchair manufacturers, Wheelchair suppliers
Negative-direction: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Medicare administrative contractors, Medicare beneficiaries choosing titanium bases
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
- "cms"
- → Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
- "hhs"
- → Department of Health and Human Services
We use a combination of our own taxonomy and classification in addition to large language models to assess meaning and potential beneficiaries. High confidence means strong textual evidence. Always verify with the original bill text.
Learn more about our methodology