Choices for Increased Mobility Act of 2025
Key claim: The Choices for Increased Mobility Act of 2025 would require CMS to create 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
(S247 · 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 (2025-01-24): Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Why this matters
The bill would change how Medicare pays for ultralightweight manual wheelchair bases by distinguishing titanium/carbon-fiber models from other materials in the fee schedule, and would explicitly allow DME suppliers to balance-bill beneficiaries for charges above the Medicare-allowed amount. For wheelchair users, that could expand access to lighter-material bases but also increase out-of-pocket costs, since balance billing is generally not permitted for Medicare-assigned DME today.