Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Facilitating Access to Service and Timely Repairs for Wheelchairs Act” or the “FAST Repairs for Wheelchairs Act”.
Facilitating Access to Service and Timely Repairs for Wheelchairs Act
A BILL
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to prohibit Medicare Advantage plans from imposing prior authorization with respect to repairs to complex rehabilitation technology.
Sec. 2 Removing prior authorization requirements under Medicare Advantage Plans
Section 1852(a)(1)(B) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w–22(a)(1)(B)) is amended by adding at the end the following new clause:
“(vii) Prohibition of prior authorization for maintenance and repairs to complex rehabilitation technology
“(I) In general—In the case of complex rehabilitation technology, for plan years beginning on or after January 1 following the date of enactment of this clause, an MA plan may not impose any prior authorization requirements, prescription requirements, or medical documentation requirements with respect to the coverage of repairs made to such a technology under such plan.
“(II) Clarification—Subclause (I) shall not prohibit prior authorization for the initial evaluation of the medical necessity of the complex rehabilitation technology or the replacement of complex rehabilitation technology due to loss or irreparable damage, when such technology reaches its reasonable useful lifetime, or when such technology has been in use for 5 years.
“(III) Complex rehabilitation technology defined—For the purposes of this clause, the term complex rehabilitation technology means—
“(aa) certain complex rehabilitative power wheelchairs, complex rehabilitative manual wheelchairs, and certain manual wheelchairs, as those terms are used in section 1847(a)(2)(A); and
“(bb) any related accessories to the items described in item (aa) when furnished in connection with such items.”