Delafield-based MobiLife LLC has received U.S. Food & Drug Administration clearance to begin marketing the MobiLife PMV-X22, a breakthrough type of wheelchair.

The company has been in engineering and development of the personal mobility vehicle chair for approximately five years. The standard model of the chair sells for about $15,000 and is covered by most major insurance plans, including Medicare, a company spokeswoman said.

With a built-in hydraulic lift, the chair can be raised 22 inches to enable its occupant reach high countertops and shelves. The base of the chair is constructed with an aluminum frame and a stainless steel bumper for durability and a unitized chasse for added strength, stability and ease of serviceability. Other features include rear wheel drive for better tracking and stability, utility pockets, dual chargers with an eight-amp charging unit and 25-mile charge duration and a battery disconnect switch for safety and convenience.

"We are very excited to finally have the opportunity to introduce the MobiLife PMV-X22 to the marketplace," said Steven DuFresne, MobiLife president and managing director. "We have put years of research and development into its creation and feel strongly that this chair will provide its users with a more fulfilling life."

MobiLife LLC will begin distributing the chairs first in the United States, with plans to broaden distribution globally.

MobiLife LLC receives FDA clearance to Market the PMV-X22

Delafield, Wis., September 18, 2006 - MobiLife LLC announced that it has received FDA clearance to begin marketing the MobiLife PMV-X22 to end users in the United States and internationally. The company has been in engineering and development with the chair for approximately five years, investing significantly in the research and design to be able to offer the only affordable, lightweight, compact personal mobility vehicle with a unique 22 inch height elevation.

The chair comes with multiple seating options including captain's chair, rigid frame, tilt, recline and combination tilt & recline style seating. Rear wheel drive offers better tracking and stability for movement over multiple types of terrain. Additional features include utility pockets; convenient dual chargers with an 8-amp charging unit and 25-mile charge duration; and a battery disconnect switch for safety and convenience.

"We are very excited to finally have the opportunity to introduce the MobiLife PMV-X22 to the marketplace," explains Steven DuFresne, MobiLife president and managing director. "We have put years of research and development into its creation and feel strongly that this chair will provide its users with a more fulfilling life."

The MobiLife PMV-X22 has been extensively tested for stability and safety and has met or exceeded ANSI/RESNA standards, ISO-7176 standards for static, impact and fatigue strengths; ignition resistance; climatic impact; and power and control systems for electric wheelchairs; as well as Met Lab testing for a 275 pound test weight specification. In addition, the MobiLife PMV-X22 meets the requirements of the HCPCS coding system.

MobiLife will market the MobiLife PMV-X22 to the veteran, vocational rehabilitation and ability markets. By working directly with dealer networks, state agencies, VA hospitals and other decision makers, MobiLife will provide product information and demos to help these groups understand the unique features and benefits of the MobiLife PMV-X22, allowing them to better educate the end user.

The MobiLife PMV-X22 with its unique 22" hydraulic lift allows users to adapt to their surroundings rather than having to make changes to their environments to meet their needs. For example, users will no longer have to remodel their kitchen in order to safely use the stove or reach higher cabinets. With the MobiLife PMV-X22, users can raise themselves up to the appropriate height for safety or convenience. With its affordable pricing, users can invest in the chair and save thousands by not having to remodel their homes.

"At MobiLife, we strive to be what users demand from a wheelchair company - a commitment to their needs and a dedication to improving their lives," says DuFresne. "With the MobiLife PMV-X22, we can provide a quality, value-driven personal mobility vehicle that offers unique capabilities to dramatically improve and change the lives of end users."

DuFresne has been primary in directing product design, sales and distribution for the company since its inception. He brings nearly a decade of engineering, manufacturing and business experience to the business as well as a strong personal desire to provide products that make a difference in people's lives.

Taking his mission to design the ultimate personal mobility vehicle very seriously, DuFresne has traveled the world with his chair prototypes doing market research and gaining valuable insight into the world of the disabled. He has worked with an engineering team to design every aspect of the chair and has personally been involved with all of its testing and certifications. His focus and determination has helped him to develop a superior product unlike any on the market.

MobiLife LLC was founded in early 2006 by Steven DuFresne to provide quality manufacturing and marketing of a broad array of innovative products to the ability marketplace. The company currently offers the MobiLife PMV-X22 as well as optional accessories. MobiLife will be distributing the chairs first in the United States, with plans to broaden distribution globally.

PWC outlook remains vibrant and optimistic

By John Andrews, Contributing Editor - 09.2006

http://www.MobiLifeonline.com/news/News1.pdf

CMS's new power wheelchair policy has made the process of securing Medicare coverage for clients more stringent and convoluted than ever. That means, going forward, there is a strong likelihood that fewer patients will be getting these products through the program.

As a result, the situation raises a number of questions regarding the future of power chairs, including:

- Will HME providers see the number of power chairs they furnish decline substantially?
- Will manufacturers continue their current pace of new power chair development and production?
- Will patients who would benefit from using a power chair be willing to dig into their pockets to pay for a product they don't qualify for under Medicare?

The answers to these questions may not be readily apparent in the short term, but there are indications that they will determine the power chair market's future. At this point, the outlook remains hopeful and optimistic that power chairs will remain an integral and vibrant part of the mobility industry.

"We're in a state of flux; we're preparing for a lot of change and at the same time there are a lot of people who need power chairs," said C.J. Copley, vice president of marketing for Old Forge, Pa.-based Golden Technologies. "These products are specifically designed to help people with mobility problems and that hasn't changed. What has changed is the billing process. So it's important that providers voice their opinions to the proper parties about the impact that these changes are having."

CMS recently finalized a new local coverage determination for power mobility devices that incorporates 64 new codes that were issued earlier this year. Each code grouping of power chairs now has a separate coverage criteria on top of the mobility assistive equipment nine-step algorithm. Chairs with one or more power positioning components also have specific coverage criteria and documentation requirements in order to qualify for a single power or multiple power option chair.

Vendors remain bullish

Prevailing opinion is that the more restrictive criteria will result in fewer patients qualifying for Medicare power chair coverage. But if the new rules signal a downturn in power chair provision, it hasn't tempered manufacturers' excitement about the product's future. The major mobility vendors are hopeful that new models showcased at their Medtrade booths will generate excitement. For instance, Exeter, Pa.-based Pride Mobility is trumpeting the Jazzy's 10th anniversary and unveiled a new version of the Jazzy at the show.

"Pride's strategy is to create high performing, high-quality power chairs at an excellent value that fall within the new codes implemented by Medicare, while supplying providers with a selection of additional items to help better meet their customers' needs and grow their businesses," company promotional materials stated.

Further, Pride is conducting a marketing campaign featuring its Silver Star lifts as an attractive companion product for providers to use as part of a complete mobility sales package. Elyria, Ohio-based Invacare also has thrust a power chair into the Medtrade limelight: The TDX Total Driving eXperience SP, designed to fit within the scaled-back reimbursement environment. The company is also touting its 5-Star Service Plan, designed to give providers another option in delivering service to power chair and scooter customers.

Likewise, Carson, Calif.-based Shoprider has introduced the second generation of its Smartie power chairs, which at 93 pounds has great retail potential, said President David Lin. "I heard one story of a customer buying it on the spot after seeing that the chair can be assembled and taken apart without an engineering degree," he said.

Ramping up retail

Copley maintains that Golden Technologies has long viewed power chairs as having legitimate retail appeal and that they will ultimately rival scooters as a sought-after consumer product.

"As we've continued to design power chairs that are more attractive and exciting, the value increases in the eyes of the cash consumer," he said. "It becomes a question of whether the person is more comfortable using two hands on a tiller or one hand on a joystick."

New companies, like Delafield, Wis.-based MobiLife, are approaching the market with a fresh perspective. Mechanical engineer Steve DuFresne has been developing his Raizer 22 chair for nearly two years and doesn't consider it to be a "power chair" per se, so he came up with a new label--personal mobility vehicle.

"There should be a new category name--power chairs, manual chairs and standing chairs are all personal mobility vehicles," he said.

The Raizer 22 has a vertical lift that elevates the user 22 inches. DuFresne got the idea when a friend, after being paralyzed in a motorcycle accident, abandoned his quest to be a pharmacist because the job required him to stand.

"I thought that was terrible," DuFresne said. "It made me realize that we live in a walking world and that there was a need for a three-dimensional level mobility product."

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