THE MEDICARE RULING that allows end-users to pay out of pocket for equipment and accessories they want without losing their Medicare coverage for that item could make a big difference in the market for power and manual wheelchairs, manufacturers say.

“It's a good opportunity for the consumer to upgrade to the product that they want,” says Larry Jackson, president of Lebanon, Tenn.-based Permobil.

But the benefits of the ABN are tied to the education of the consumer, manufacturers say.

“I believe [the ABN] can help and it's going to be tied to the education of the consumer,” says Christy Shimono, product manager of adult manual chairs for Sunrise Medical, Longmont, Colo. According to Shimono, as consumers become more aware of what is available, they will likely add more components to their manual wheelchairs. “I think it will be in components mainly, rather than this person moving into the next chair,” she says.

Other manufacturers believe the impact could be greater than that, but not necessarily this year. “I think we'll see people upgrade to a K0004 and lightweight chairs,” says Bob Crabtree, national sales manager for Nova Ortho-Med of Gardena, Calif. “But I don't think it's going to be a big change this first year.”

Merv Watkins, president of Torrance, Calif.-based Convaid, predicts a definite impact on the market. “[The ABN] gives the end-user much more freedom,” he says. “They can upgrade to a higher chair and have many more accessories. More choices are always good for everybody.”