House Bill 258 Alabama 2026 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Adline ClarkeRepresentative

Democrat

Session

2026 Regular Session

Title

Wheelchair repair; establishing time restrictions to ensure prompt repair, to require Medicaid coverage of repair, and to require manufacturers of motorized wheelchairs to provide necessary documentation, parts, and tools to independent repair providers

Summary

HB258 would require timely repairs of customized wheelchairs, expand Medicaid coverage for medically necessary customized wheelchairs, and require manufacturers to provide needed documentation, parts, and tools to consumers or independent repair providers.

What This Bill Does

It establishes detailed timelines for repairing customized wheelchairs and allows the Board to discipline providers who repeatedly fail to repair on time. It requires Medicaid to cover customized wheelchairs when medically necessary, relaxes prior authorization for repairs, and requires annual reporting by Medicaid repair providers on repair timeliness. It removes certain prescription or prior authorization requirements for repairs based on the wheelchair's age and requires manufacturers to provide documentation, parts, and tools to consumers or independent repair providers. It creates enforcement mechanisms, including labeling violations as unlawful trade practices and giving the Board authority to discipline licensees.

Who It Affects

• Consumers and Medicaid beneficiaries who use customized wheelchairs would have faster, more reliable repairs and clearer Medicaid coverage rules for medically necessary equipment.
• Manufacturers of customized wheelchairs and repair providers (both authorized and independent) would face new duties to provide documentation, parts, and tools; and could be subject to penalties, licensing discipline, and enforcement actions if they fail to comply.

Key Provisions

• Timely repair standards for customized wheelchairs, with specific deadlines for response, assessment, parts ordering, and completion; repeated delays can lead to disciplinary action by the licensing board.
• Medicaid coverage requirement for customized wheelchairs when medically necessary; repairs and replacements governed by age-based prescription/authorization rules (no new prescription/authorization unless original is older than five years for under 21 or seven years for 21+; prior authorization only if repair would not meet needs).
• Annual reporting requirement for Medicaid repair providers on timeliness and related timelines to the Medicaid Agency, starting no later than September 30, 2027.
• Manufacturer responsibilities to provide documentation, parts, and tools to consumers or independent repair providers on the same terms as to authorized repair providers; includes security-related parts and tools and secure release mechanisms.
• Prohibition of certain practices as unlawful trade practices; enforcement by the Attorney General or aggrieved parties under the Deceptive Trade Practices Act; potential civil penalties and license actions for noncompliance.
• Board of Home Medical Equipment disciplinary framework expanded to include denial, suspension, or revocation of licenses for failure to repair timely or other violations; process for complaints, hearings, and penalties.
• Effective date and phase-in: overall act effective October 1, 2026, with related reporting and implementation provisions.
• Health benefit plans are restricted from requiring new prescriptions or prior authorizations for repair or replacement of a customized wheelchair after January 1, 2026, unless the original prescription is more than five years old.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 11, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Elderly & Disabled Persons