Date: Friday, April 26, 2013
Category: General
The National Coalition for Assistive and Rehab Technology (NCART) announced that the Washington State Legislature has passed legislation, Bill HB 1445, which provides separate recognition of Complex Rehab Technology (CRT) within the state's Medicaid program.
Governor Jay Inslee is expected to sign the bill, and the legislation will then take effect on January 1, 2014.
The passage of the bill was the result of the efforts of a Washington CRT Work Group formed to pursue solutions to CRT issues within the state's Medicaid system. This approach follows work currently being done on the federal level to establish CRT recognition and make other CRT changes within Medicare (HR 942).
The purpose of the bill is to:
- Protect access for complex need patients to important technology and supporting services
- Establish and improve safeguards relating to the delivery and provision of medically necessary complex rehabilitation technology; and
- Provide supports for complex need patients to stay in the home or community setting, prevent institutionalization, and prevent hospitalizations and other costly secondary complications.
RESNA's ATP certification is explicity recognized within the bill's language, and establishes that each site owned by a supplier must employ at least one ATP "to analyze the needs and capacities of complex needs patients, assist in selecting appropriate covered complex rehabilitation technology items for such needs and capacities, and provide training in the use of the selected covered complex rehabilitation technology items."
According to an NCART press release, Don Clayback, NCART Executive Director, stated "This is the first CRT recognition bill to be passed at the state level. It's encouraging to see another positive step in establishing greater CRT awareness with policymakers and protecting access for people with disabilities."
RESNA thanks NCART and the Washington CRT Work Group for their efforts on behalf of people with disabilities and the professionals who provide services and technology to support them.
Click here for NCART's website and to read the press release.