News

Attention Kansas Medicaid Clients

05-May-2010 Effective May 5, 2010, the Kansas Health Policy Authority and Kansas Complex Rehabilitation Equipment providers have agreed on a reasonable reimbursement plan for Kansas Medicaid recipients.  The following is a press release recently posted by KHPA.  Thanks to everyone that assisted in this process

"The Kansas Health Policy Authority has reached an accommodation with a group of medical equipment suppliers that provides reasonable reimbursements under Medicaid for custom-seated wheelchairs. Under the arrangement, KHPA has agreed to pay 75 percent of the Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) for such equipment. KHPA will conduct annual reviews of the prior year’s reimbursement rates to determine if adjustments need to be made for the following year.

Under Kansas Medicaid rules, custom-seated wheelchairs were supposed to be priced at the lesser of two levels: 80 to 85 percent of MSRP, depending on the specific part; or actual costs plus 35 percent. However, the companies that design, assemble and maintain custom-seated wheelchairs declined to accept that policy and, as a result, have declined to provide their services to Medicaid beneficiaries.

KHPA is pleased that this arrangement will allow Medicaid beneficiaries who need these wheelchairs to continue receiving the equipment that is vital to their health, mobility and independence. This arrangement also allows the state of Kansas to realize savings it anticipated when it began strictly enforcing a longstanding reimbursement policy on Jan. 1."