Women’s History Month: Jean L. Minkel

On this episode of The Ramp. It. Up! Podcast, in honor of Women's History Month, I am joined by Jean L. Minkel, PT, ATP. We chat about her early years as a Physical Therapist, her influence on early assistive technology, and her crusade to effect insurance policy change.

Ramp. It. Up!
 

Get To Know Our Guest  

Ms. Minkel is a physical therapist and master clinician well recognized for her work in Assistive Technology.  Jean has a passion for ensuring that people with a mobility disability have access to the products and services needed to support full participation in life. 

Jean works directly with the disability community to identify unmet needs in product development, ableist practices in the therapy community and restrictive coverage policies which prevent access to the devices that meet the needs of the wheelchair user. 

Jean is currently actively involved in a campaign to revise the highly restrictive Medicare coverage policy, used by many private insurers to deny coverage of wheelchairs and accessories needed to be fully mobile in routine environments, both in the home and the community. 

Have you been denied for a new wheelchair or wheelchair function? Click the link below to share your story.
https://unitedspinal.org/share-your-wheelchair-denial-story/


Submit a Comment to CMS
Are you a wheelchair user? Medicare wants to hear from YOU! Take action by March 17, 2023.
 
We need to show Medicare that wheelchair users and people with disabilities strongly support this coverage and urge Medicare to go even further to ensure that all those who need access to these systems can get it. As you know, these systems are vital for wheelchair users to be able to:

• Safely transfer from a wheelchair to another surface, particularly if it is not level with your chair
• Increase your reach to access higher surfaces across the home
• Prevent and reduce stress injuries from repetitive transfers and reaching
• Function independently at home as much as possible
• Describe that seat elevation is needed for functional reach in your home

CMS is currently accepting public comments through Friday, March 17 before they finalize their decision on coverage for power seat elevation systems. Please share your story and let Medicare know how you could or do benefit from these technologies. Submit your comment here

Click the link below to register for the United Spinal Association's TechTalks

• https://unitedspinal.org/events/techtalks/

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