Page 14 - Mobility Management, June 2019

ATP Series
defining ultralights
WHAT THE K0005 CODE IS AND WHY IT’S THE BEST ANSWER FOR MANY COMPLEX CLIENTS
CURRENTLY, there are four HCPCS codes (K0001, K0002, K0003,
K0004) for standard manual wheelchairs that don’t have substantial configurability or positioning features.
Also, there is just one HCPCS code — K0005 — for the industry’s most configu- rable type of manual wheel- chair (see sidebar).
Ultralightweight chairs can be the most inclusive mobility solution for an incredibly wide range of users. K0005s cover a lot of literal and meta- phorical ground, yet success- fully justifying them can still be a challenge.
What the HCPCS Codes Say
Often, step one in justifying an ultralightweight chair is to differentiate it from codes K0001-K0004 relative to the client’s needs.
Tina Roesler, PT, MS, ABDA, International Business Development for Motion Composites, said of the differences among codes, “If you look at the definition of the [K0005] code, it is based on adjustability of the rear axle, availability of multiple sizes, and the specific weight of the frame. Manufacturers of K0005s are focused on design and function: How can they help optimize perfor- mance in [a consumer’s] day-to-day life? When you look at K0004, and/or K0001/K0002, you will find less adjustability, more standard features, fewer performance options, and more focus on price rather than performance.”
Lauren Rosen, PT, MPT, MSMS, ATP/SMS, Program Coordinator at the Motion Analysis Center, St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital of Tampa (Fla.), uses the word design when working with ultralight chairs versus standard chairs. “In general, they’re like night and day,” she said. “I can pick every aspect of the chair when I design a K0005, because I can set the exact width and the exact depth that works for you. With K0004s, I frequently have a 16x16", or an 18x18". There’s not the customizability to the seat sizing. But the biggest thing that I deal with, both in pediatrics and adults, is the axle adjustability.”
K0005s, Rosen noted, “have the ability to move forward, backward, up and down in their adjust- ability, so I can dial in exactly where somebody needs their axle to be. A K0004 may have a little bit of ability to move the axle up and down, but it doesn’t have that forward-rear adjustability at all. For a lot of my clients, that would put the wheel way too far back and make the chair way too hard to propel with the wheel in that position.”
While complex rehab’s understanding of optimal propulsion has evolved, the codes have not, Roesler said. “The definition of these codes is outdated. Technology has evolved, but you could argue that the codes and definitions have remained stagnant. Innovation in materials and design has made the current coding system obsolete, as well as the funding levels.”
By Laurie Watanabe
14 JUNE2019|MOBILITYMANAGEMENT MobilityMgmt.com
COLORFUL CIRCLES: ISTOCKPHOTO.COM/ALEKSANDARVELASEVIC