It was the worst possible news. A massive fraud ring operating out of the Houston area had cheated Medicare out of millions by tricking seniors into giving up their Medicare numbers so the fraudulent providers could bill for and supply power chairs that were neither needed nor wanted by the recipients.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) formulated a crackdown response they titled “Operation Wheeler Dealer,” but a month after its announcement, there was still no news about any of the fraudulent providers being caught. Meanwhile, the legitimate mobility providers who had worked hard to try to professionalize the industry were worried about reimbursement delays and a freeze in new supplier numbers.

How should the mobility industry cope in the wake of Operation Wheeler Dealer? In many ways, the best response is just to keep running an ethical and professional company that improves the reputation of the field by going the extra mile to document medical need and take care of patient concerns, say the experts who contributed to this year’s “Focus on Mobility” special section.

Starting on page 30, Denise M. Fletcher, JD, of the health law firm Brown & Fortunato PC in Amarillo, Tex, explains what mobility providers need to know to cope with the legal aspects of Operation Wheeler Dealer, including the moratorium on new supplier numbers.

In addition, beginning on page 32, billing expert Helen M. Farrell explains what lightweight wheelchair providers need to know to get these devices funded through Medicare and, when that does not work, how to use the Advance Beneficiary Notice form’s upgrade provision to help a Medicare beneficiary who really wants a lightweight wheelchair to get one.

Plus, starting on page 34, Mark R. Schmeler, MS, OTR/L, ATP, a leading researcher at the University of Pittsburgh, explains the basics of wheelchair cushion construction to help you as you select the proper seating systems for your clients.

Finally, on page 36, Carol Daus interviews providers in the wheelchair and scooter vehicle lift business about their challenges and how they are working to professionalize this fast-growing mobility-related business.

We hope you will enjoy this special section as much as we enjoyed putting it together. The mobility industry may have suffered some bad press recently, but with the hard work of quality companies in this field, the truth about how mobility and rehab companies improve clients’ lives will get out.