K-Levels are a rating system used by Medicare to indicate a person’s rehabilitation potential. This system is a rating from 0 through 4 and it indicates a person’s potential to use a prosthetic device if they had a device that worked well for them and they completed rehabilitation to use the device properly.
The patient does not have the ability or potential to ambulate or transfer safely with or without assistance and a prosthesis does not enhance their quality of life or mobility. This level does not warrant a prescription for a prosthesis.
The patient has the ability or potential to use a prosthesis for transfers or ambulation on level surfaces at fixed cadence. This is typical of a household ambulator or a person who only walks about in their own home.
The patient has the ability or potential for ambulation with the ability to traverse lowlevel environmental barriers such as curbs, stairs or uneven surfaces. This is typical of the limited community ambulator.
The patient has the ability or potential for ambulation with variable cadence. A person at level 3 is typically a community ambulator who also has the ability to traverse most environmental barriers and may have vocational, therapeutic or exercise activity that demands prosthetic use beyond simple locomotion.
The patient has the ability or potential for prosthetic ambulation that exceeds basic ambulation skills, exhibiting high impact, stress or energy levels. This is typical of the prosthetic demands of the child, active adult or athlete.