Pressley Unveils Essential Legislation to Streamline Wheelchair Repair Services

June 17, 2026 Pressley Unveils Essential Legislation to Streamline Wheelchair Repair Services Current Red Tape in Medicare Advantage Plans Put Wheelchair Repairs on Hold for Months, Impacting Wheelchair Users’ Lives and Livelihoods Bill Text (PDF) WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) , Co-Chair of the Task Force on Aging and Families, alongside leadership of the Task Force on Aging and Families, Chair Matsui, Chair Schakowsky, and Co-Chair Dingell, unveiled the Facilitating Access to Service and Timely (FAST) Repairs for Wheelchairs Act , essential legislation to streamline wheelchair repairs by removing extra unnecessary, burdensome requirements for Medicare Advantage beneficiaries. The FAST Repairs for Wheelchairs Act aims to put an end to the months-long delays in wheelchair repairs that can often put wheelchair users’ lives on hold. “I’m proud to introduce the FAST Repairs for Wheelchairs Act, legislation to solve for repair delays that diminish the quality of life for wheelchair users across the country,” said Rep. Pressley. “When a wheelchair breaks down, daily life is disrupted. My FAST Repairs for Wheelchairs Act would streamline wheelchair repair services and remove the undue burden caused by unnecessary barriers in Medicare Advantage plans. I’m grateful to my constituents and our disability justice advocates for informing this vital legislation.” “No one should have their day derailed because a needed wheelchair repair is stuck in an insurance approval process,” said Congresswoman Matsui, Chair of the Task Force on Aging and Families. “When a wheelchair breaks, it can result in a loss of independence that should never be subject to unnecessary red tape. As co-chair of the Task Force on Aging and Families, I am proud to co-lead the FAST Repairs for Wheelchairs Act to bring Medicare Advantage in line with traditional Medicare so that people can get timely repairs with the dignity and urgency they deserve.” “For millions of Americans, a wheelchair is essential to their independence, health, and ability to participate in daily life. Yet when it comes to wheelchair repairs, far too many Medicare Advantage beneficiaries are forced to endure unnecessary hurdles, leaving them waiting weeks or even months for critical fixes,” said Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky, Chair of the Task Force on Aging and Families. “Medicare Advantage insurers too often put profits ahead of patients, creating barriers that can leave people without the medically necessary equipment they rely on every day. This legislation would cut through that red tape and help ensure wheelchair users enrolled in Medicare Advantage can get timely repairs and maintain their independence and quality of life.” “Millions of Americans rely on wheelchairs to lead independent lives. When a wheelchair breaks down, people should not be trapped in bureaucratic limbo waiting weeks or months for insurance to help with essential repairs,” said Congresswoman Dingell, Co-Chair of the Task Force on Aging and Families. “This legislation cuts unnecessary red tape and helps ensure people with Medicare Advantage plans can get the repairs they need quickly so that no one is left without the mobility and independence they depend on every day.” More than 5.5 million people use wheelchairs in the United States. As insurance providers require wheelchairs to have a lifespan of five years, regular maintenance and repairs are inevitable. Studies show that more than 50 percent of wheelchairs break down within a six-month period, with average repair times of two to four weeks.  However, it is common for people to wait six months or longer for repairs—leaving wheelchair users with extremely limited mobility and often isolated at home for this unpredictable time period. When an individual originally obtains their wheelchair, clinicians customize it to meet their specific medical needs, and the chair must receive prior authorization for approval from their insurance provider. However, unlike traditional Medicare, Medicare Advantage plans extend prior authorization requirements to every subsequent repair, including minor fixes, requiring approval from the insurance company for each repair even though the chair itself has already been approved. This process is redundant and imposes unnecessary administrative burdens that ultimately result in harmful repair delays. As such, the FAST Repairs for Wheelchairs Act would: Remove prior authorization requirements from Medicare Advantage plans for maintenance and repairs to wheelchairs and other complex rehab technologies. Align Medicare Advantage plans with traditional Medicare, where prior authorization is generally not required for wheelchair repairs. Full text of the bill is available here . Joining Congresswoman Pressley and Congresswomen Matsui, Dingell, and Schakowsky as cosponsors of this legislation are Representatives Steve Cohen, Danny K. Davis, Robert Garcia, Steny Hoyer, Robin Kelly, Seth Moulton, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Rashida Tlaib, and Jill Tokuda. The FAST Repairs for Wheelchairs Act was informed by impacted individuals and their lived experiences suffering from delays in wheelchair repairs. Rep. Pressley partnered with constituents in the Massachusetts 7th and disability justice advocates to draft this legislation and produce a solution to this critical issue. The legislation is endorsed by American Association of People with Disabilities, Disability Law Center, Center for American Progress, United Spinal Association, Boston Center for Independent Living, MetroWest Center for Independent Living, Inc., Your Access Advocates, Easterseals Massachusetts, Health Law Advocates, Inc., Ascentria Care Alliance, Disability Policy Consortium, Caring Across Generations, Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, Muscular Dystrophy Association, American Association on Health and Disability, Lakeshore Foundation, Team Gleason Foundation, Able South Carolina, Institute for Matching Person and Technology, Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF), American Physical Therapy Association, Bay State Council of the Blind, Access Ready, Inc., The Arc of the United States, International Registry of Rehabilitation Technology Suppliers, The Viscardi Center, National Disability Rights Network, Ocean State Center for Independent Living, Dignity Alliance Massachusetts, RESNA, American Therapeutic Recreation Association, Association of Assistive Technology Act Programs, American, Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Association of Rehabilitation Nurses, National Council on Independent Living, Clinician Task Force, and the National Coalition for Assistive and Rehab Technology (NCART). “Right now, disabled people have to wait weeks to months to get approval to be able to repair their wheelchairs and this keeps them from being able to have the freedom of mobility. The durable medical provider market continues to shrink due to the acquisitions of smaller local providers, making it difficult to obtain repair appointments, particularly in rural areas. This bill will make it easier for disabled people to get back to their everyday lives.” – Mia Ives-Rublee, Center for American Progress “This bill is a much-needed first step towards fixing what’s broken in the wheelchair repair process,” said Steve Lieberman, Senior Director of Advocacy and Policy for United Spinal Association. “This common-sense measure will get rid of unnecessary bureaucratic delays that often last weeks.” “Congresswoman Pressley’s bill is tremendously important. Lengthy delays in repairs to wheelchairs and other medical equipment– and that’s what prior authorizations can cause– endanger the health and compromise the independence of people with disabilities and seniors.” – Bill Henning, Boston Center for Independent Living “As a wheelchair user, when my chair breaks, my life stops. I am not waiting on a luxury item, I am waiting on the ability to get out of bed, to work, to exist in my community. Prior authorization adds days and weeks to a process that already experiences serious delays. I have fought too hard for my independence to have it unravel because of paperwork delays and lack of technicians. Removing prior authorization is a necessary step toward protecting that independence.” – Destiny Maxam, Community Organizer and Wheelchair User at DPC (Disability Policy Consortium) “Delaying wheelchair repairs is not just harmful, it’s expensive. For many individuals, a wheelchair is their primary form of mobility—their legs, and when it breaks, daily life comes to a halt. Individuals are unable to work, care for their families, or live independently. These disruptions often lead to preventable medical complications and costly hospitalizations that far exceed the cost of a timely repair. The FAST Repairs Act is a fiscally responsible solution that eliminates unnecessary red tape, reduces administrative burden, and ensures Medicare beneficiaries can maintain their health, independence, and economic stability.” – Kimberly Tissot, Able South Carolina “Representative Pressley’s FAST Repairs for Wheelchairs Act will give practical relief to thousands of wheelchair users across the country who are left without mobility when it takes weeks to months to obtain wheelchair repairs and foreseeable maintenance. It makes no sense for someone who has already gotten prior authorization for a medically necessary wheelchair in the first place to have to go through the process all over again for something as simple as fixing a flat tire or changing a battery. Car owners would rebel in the face of such delays and wheelchairs are more personally critical than cars.” – Silvia Yee, Policy Director at Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF) “The Bay State Council of the Blind supports efforts that advance equity and inclusion across the disability community. We stand in solidarity with our partners and commend the leadership of Ayanna Pressley in advancing policies that uplift underserved communities.” – Nona Haroyan, Bay State Council of the Blind When a mobility device such as the ones covered by this bill break down and require repairs, an individual’s independence is greatly impacted. Eliminating the need for prior authorizations takes will allow for repairs to be done more quickly.” – Beth Pinkham, Ocean State Center for Independent Living “Mobility is a fundamental human right, yet for far too many people with disabilities and older adults, a broken wheelchair is not just a mechanical failure—it is a sentence of isolation. Dignity Alliance Massachusetts is proud to endorse Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley’s FAST Repairs for Wheelchairs Act, which addresses the unconscionable and unacceptable delays that currently leave individuals stranded for weeks or even months awaiting simple repairs. By mandating timely service standards and removing the bureaucratic hurdles that hinder independence, this legislation ensures that the equipment meant to provide freedom and the dignity of independence does not become a cage. We applaud Congresswoman Pressley’s leadership in treating wheelchair repair as the critical civil rights issue it is.” – Paul Lanzikos, Dignity Alliance Massachusetts “The Clinician Task Force strongly supports legislation reducing the wait time for repairs on complex rehab technology equipment, that is depended upon by people with disabilities who use them every day of their lives. We are occupational and physical therapists who clearly see the negative consequences of delays on the lives of our clients.” – Tamara Kittelson, Clinician Task Force “All consumers have the right to quick repairs, and they should not have to wait 7-21 days for paperwork to be approved.” – Wayne Grau, National Coalition for Assistive and Rehab Technology (NCART) Rep. Pressley has been a long-time advocate for the disability community and has championed policies that promote disability justice. On May 14, 2026, Rep. Pressley, Co-Chair of the Reproductive Freedom Caucus, along with Senators Patty Murray (D-WA) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), reintroduced their Reproductive Health Care Accessibility Act , legislation to help women with disabilities—who face discrimination and extra barriers when seeking care—get better access to the timely, informed, and culturally competent reproductive health care they deserve. In May 2025, Rep. Pressley reintroduced a resolution demanding equitable access to reproductive and sexual healthcare for people with disabilities , and designating a day in May as “Disability Reproductive Equity Day.” In May 2025, at the Center for American Progress’ Disability Reproductive Equity Summit, Rep. Pressley delivered the keynote address on the importance of intersectional policymaking and affirming disability rights and reproductive rights as the human rights that they are. In May 2025, Rep. Pressley joined the Disability Justice Initiative at the Center for American Progress in kicking off their Disability Reproductive Equity Summit to develop an agenda for disability reproductive justice. On August 14, 2024, Rep. Pressley issued a statement applauding Biden-Harris Administration for finalizing its proposed rule to improve access to medical diagnostic equipment (MDE) for people with disabilities. The DOJ’s final rule followed an April letter by Rep. Pressley and 11 of her colleagues urging it to strengthen and finalize its proposed rule, and underscoring the need for health care facilities to have functional and accessible MDE for people with disabilities. On May 23, 2024, Rep. Pressley held a press conference alongside colleagues and reproductive justice and disability justice advocates to unveil the Disability Reproductive Equity Day Resolution. On May 2, 2024, Rep. Pressley issued a statement applauding the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) finalized rule that prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability. On April 4, Rep. Pressley led her colleagues in urging the Department of Justice (DOJ) to strengthen and quickly finalize its proposed rule to improve access to medical diagnostic equipment (MDE) for people with disabilities. On December 12, 2023, Rep. Pressley wrote to the Biden-Harris Administration seeking data on the housing needs for aging adults, people with disabilities, and Medicaid beneficiaries. On September 29, 2022, Rep. Pressley and Rep. Cori Bush introduced the Reproductive Health Care Accessibility Act , legislation that would eliminate barriers and strengthen access to reproductive health care for people with disabilities. On June 25, 2022, Rep. Pressley applauded the passage of H.R. 2543, which included several key amendments championed by Rep. Pressley to advance disability and economic justice . On May 24, 2022, in a House Financial Services subcommittee hearing, Rep. Pressley discussed the crisis of Long COVID as a disability justice issue and outlined how the status quo has relegated disabled Americans—including those with Long COVID—to a second-class standard of living. On April 14, 2020, Rep. Pressley urged Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker to rescind the Crisis of Care standards that have disproportionately harmed communities of color and the disability community in Massachusetts. On March 29, 2022, in a historic committee hearing on Medicare for All, Rep. Pressley highlighted Medicare For All as a disability justice issue and questioned Ady Barkan, founder of Be A Hero and leading advocate for Medicare for All, about how tying health coverage to employment perpetuates deep inequities for people with disabilities. On February 25, 2021, Rep. Pressley, Rep. Katie Porter, and their colleagues introduced the Mental Health Justice Act to reduce violence against individuals with mental illness and disabilities. On March 30, 2021, she led her colleagues on a letter with 107 of their colleagues to President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris calling for an historic investment of $450 billion in home- and community-based services (HCBS) in the Build Back Better infrastructure package. On September 18, 2022, Rep. Pressley, Dr. Subini Ancy Annamma, and Villissa Thompson published an op-ed in Teen Vogue in which they called for an end to the policies and systemic injustice that result in the overcriminalization of Black girls with disabilities in schools. On July 29, 2020, Rep. Pressley, Rep. Ilhan Omar, and Senators Chris Murphy and Elizabeth Warren unveiled the Counseling Not Criminalization in Schools Act to end the over-policing of K-12 schools and stop the criminalization of students, including those with disabilities. In early 2020, she worked with advocates to challenge Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker’s crisis standards of care and release updated guidelines with input from the disability community. On October 11, 2019, Rep. Pressley and her colleagues introduced the Improving Access to Higher Education Act to help improve college access and completion for students with disabilities. ### Back to News Next Article Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email