Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), along with Reps. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.), Erik Paulsen (R-Minn.) and John Tierney (D-Mass.), were among 200 legislators who sent a letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on Friday requesting an explanation for a recent policy change that limits patients’ access to speech-generating devices.
Changes by CMS impact patients with neurological and degenerative disabilities, including those with cerebral palsy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Rett Syndrome, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, brain stem stroke, locked-in syndrome and traumatic brain injury.
“Americans rely on these innovative technologies as their only means to continue communicating with family, friends, and the outside world, but CMS’s recent actions are now limiting their ability to benefit from these tools that help lead to independent, productive lives,” the letter to CMS Administrator Marilyn Tavenner said. “After hearing from numerous individuals living with ALS and other degenerative disabilities, we urge CMS to explain its shortsighted policy decisions.”
The letter asks for an explanation from CMS for the revisions, which include the prevention of unlocking speech-generating devices to expand their functionality when Medicare is not being asked to cover or pay for those expanded functionalities.