WASHINGTON--Actor Jerry Lewis and a group of 44 bipartisan legislators are the latest to join the fight against CMS' power mobility reimbursement cuts.

Lewis, who is national chairman of the Muscular Dystrophy Association, asked HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt to postpone the pricing and coverage policies, saying they will hurt people with muscular dystrophy and other severe disabilities.

The new fee schedule, set to take effect Nov. 15, contains cuts of more than 40 percent for some equipment (see HomeCare Monday, Oct. 9).

"These changes are so drastic and so detrimental to 'my kids' and other Americans with progressive diseases that I'm prepared to drop everything and address this issue personally," he wrote in a letter to Leavitt.

Lewis said that although CMS' original intention was to combat fraud, the agency is "misleading Americans by claiming that these new policies will provide appropriate power wheelchairs for all Medicare beneficiaries ... The new eligibility criteria will make it very difficult for those with progressive diseases to receive power wheelchairs equipped for their needs."

A copy of the letter was sent to President Bush and all members of Congress.

Meanwhile, a group of 44 House members said that they, too, are "troubled" by the possible impact of the PMD fee schedule.

In a letter sent to Leavitt on Tuesday, the 22 Democrats and 22 Republican lawmakers said they were concerned by reports that the fee schedule would result in reductions for Group 3 devices in excess of 30 percent.

"We understand that the reductions for Group 3 power mobility devices are below the cost for suppliers to acquire the product and perform the clinically necessary services in order to furnish these power mobility devices to disabled beneficiaries," the letter read.

"Accordingly, we respectfully request that you intervene to ensure that implementation of the fee schedule is postponed until revisions can be made to protect the access to medically appropriate care for individuals with disabilities."

Since the new fee schedule was issued Oct. 2 (see HomeCare Monday, Oct. 23), other lawmakers from around the country--including legislators in Ohio, Pennsylvania and South Dakota--have urged CMS to postpone and revise the fee schedule. And last week, providers in Iowa and Utah asked Sens. Chuck Grassley and Orrin Hatch, respectively, both members of the powerful Senate Finance Committee, to oppose the cuts.