Choices for Increased Mobility Act of 2026
Key claim: The Choices for Increased Mobility Act requires CMS to establish distinct Medicare billing codes for ultralightweight manual wheelchair bases with versus without titanium or carbon fiber, while allowing suppliers to bill beneficiaries for any charge above the Medicare payment.
Abstract
(HR1703 · 119th Congress) Choices for Increased Mobility Act of 2025 This bill requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to establish specific billing codes under Medicare for certain materials used in ultralightweight manual wheelchairs. Specifically, the CMS must establish at least two billing codes for the base of the wheelchair, with at least one code for a base with titanium or carbon fiber construction material and at least one code for a base without these materials. Suppliers receive the same payment under Medicare for these wheelchairs as would otherwise apply, but may bill beneficiaries for any difference between the payment and the actual charge for the wheelchair. The CMS may require suppliers to inform beneficiaries of their potential financial liability in these cases. Latest action (2026-07-18): Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 656.
Why this matters
Distinct billing codes for titanium/carbon-fiber ultralightweight wheelchair bases would let Medicare recognize (and potentially pay differently for) higher-cost lightweight materials that many mobility-impaired beneficiaries prefer. The balance-billing allowance is a notable departure from typical DME assignment rules — beneficiaries could face out-of-pocket costs above the Medicare-allowed amount, shifting some financial burden from suppliers to patients in exchange for broader access to premium wheelchair materials.