WASHINGTON--Sens. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., and Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., are circulating a "dear colleague" letter, asking their fellow senators to sign a letter to HHS Secretary Michael Leavitt urging him to modify Medicare's in-the-home restriction for coverage of mobility equipment.

A number of disability advocate groups and mobility stakeholders were disappointed when CMS released its final mobility national coverage determination in May because it did not remove the restriction--language that limits coverage to those who have medical need for mobility-assist devices in the home, excluding those who need the equipment only for work or another use outside of the home.

The senators are circulating the letter on behalf of the ITEM (Independence through Enhancement of Medicare and Medicaid) coalition, which also supported the same "dear colleague" letter sent through the House last month by Reps. Charles Bass, R-N.H., and James Langevin, D-R.I. To date, about 50 House members have agreed to sign on to that letter.