Page 12 - Mobility Management, October/November 2019

Fundin2g Series 3
JUSTIFY IT: GROUP 2 VS. GROUP 3 PWC
WITH ROBUST EXPANDABILITY AND DESIGNS BUILT FOR for Group 3. And minimum [battery] range for Group 2 is only 7 long days of use, Group 3 power wheelchairs are among the miles; Group 3’s is 12 miles. Suspension is one obvious thing that
complex rehab technology (CRT) industry’s signature interven- tions. But at first glance, Group 3 chairs can seem to have a lot in common with Group 2 chairs, also known as consumer power chairs. That confusion can lead to reimbursement difficulties, which in turn can mean reduced independence for CRT users.
Differences by Design
Group 2 and Group 3 power chairs are very different in their design and engineering, which creates differences in function. Some differences — such as captain’s-style seating on Group 2 chairs vs. rehab seating on Group 3s — are easy to see. Others related to performance are more difficult to discern.
Jim Stephenson, Reimbursement & Coding Manager for Permobil, listed several performance differences between the two groups: “Minimum top speed for Group 2 is 3 mph vs. 4.5 mph
separates Group 2 and Group 3: You have to have a suspension on Group 3 [chairs]; it’s not a requirement on Group 2.”
Stephenson said the list goes on: A Group 2 chair is built to climb obstacles up to about 1.5" and can handle up to 6° of incline; Group 3 chairs can climb obstacles up to about 2" high and inclines up to 7.5°.
Those differences relate directly to the needs of the client population that each power chair targets.
“Driving performance is just one of the items that helps differ- entiate Group 2 versus Group 3,” said Jeff Rogers, Senior Power Product Manager for Sunrise Medical. “For instance, greater climbing ability, obstacle climbing, and driving range [are] all characteristics aimed to increase the independence of the end user, which of course requires greater product development and research to ensure the product can achieve all of these standards.
12 OCTOBER/NOVEMBER2019|MOBILITYMANAGEMENT
MobilityMgmt.com
KNOWING DOCUMENTATION REQUIREMENTS IS KEY TO GETTING THE OPTIMAL CHAIR FOR A CRT CLIENT
By Laurie Watanabe