In January, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Durable Medical Equipment Medicare Administrative Contractors (DME MACs) announced proposed changes to the Local Coverage Determination (LCD) for lower limb prostheses. The changes represent a significant positive development for lower limb prosthetic patients.

Under the proposed changes, CMS would allow limited coverage of microprocessor-controlled knees for select patients with a K2 functional level classification, instead of limiting microprocessor knees to patients with K3 classification and above. Learn more about the proposed LCD changes.

Evidence has shown that providing K2 prosthesis users with a microprocessor-controlled knee could improve their functional mobility. Some of that evidence suggests that MPK use may reduce uncontrolled falls by up to 80% and allow these individuals to walk up to 25% faster on level ground¹.

The final LCD policy revisions have not been released but this is a positive step by CMS to recognize the value prosthetic treatment has in improving the lives of amputees.

[1] Kannenberg A, Zacharias B, Pröbsting E. Benefits of microprocessor controlled prosthetic knees to limited community ambulators: systematic review. J Rehabil Res Dev. (2014) 51(10):1469–96. 10.1682/JRRD.2014.05.0118 [PubMed] [CrossRef] [Google Scholar]