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View AnswerTo determine power wheelchair eligibility, Medicare uses five specific Mobility Related Activities of Daily Living (MRADLs). These tasks are the fundamental movements required for self-care and functional independence specifically within the home environment.
The five key MRADL tasks include:
- Bed Mobility: The ability to move and reposition yourself while in bed.
- Transfers: Moving to and from a bed, chair, or toilet.
- Walking: The ability to move around the home on foot.
- Wheeling: The ability to move through the home using a manual mobility device.
- Negotiating Stairs: The ability to manage steps or stairs within the residence.
In addition to these core movement-based tasks, the evaluation also considers the impact of mobility deficits on broader self-care activities such as bathing, dressing, toileting, and feeding.
To qualify for a power wheelchair, a physician must document that you are unable to perform one or more of these MRADLs safely and efficiently, even with the use of a cane or walker. This impairment must exist inside the home (the "within the home" rule) rather than just in the community. Documentation must also explain why a manual wheelchair is insufficient for completing these daily tasks.
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