How to screw Medicare........

It was high time we started to look into getting Wheelie a new wheelchair.

The one he now has, and LIVES in, we got about 12 years ago. He's been using it permanently for the past 5. Two years before that, when we lived in tighter quarters, he used his mother's, which was a very small chair. He wore that one out.

Last year we tried to find a local wheelchair repair shop. We found one, but the guy wanted to charge $400 for adjusting and fixing the brakes and add a few missing spokes...

Uhhhh...no....!

So now his arm rests are taped up with black electrician tape. We're on our 4th seat cushion, everything rattles and is loose. We're missing spokes.

So...I called Humana to find out how we're covered. Found out we pay 20% they pay 80%.

So...I call the doctor to get a scrip...

They faxed it to the local Medical Supply company...

Who called me yesterday...I told them what we needed and I expected someone to come and take the measurements etc...

Uhhhh...no...

They were going to bring us a wheelchair...we didn't have a choice...

Okay...I thought...this is gonna be interesting!

The minute the guy pulled the chair out of his van I knew we were in trouble...

Out came a black stiff, straight, albeit new, chair...

We gave the man the benefit of the doubt, Wheelie got into the chair. The wheels were straight, instead of angled (which gives him more stability), the arm rests were not adjustable, they didn't even fit under the table, or the computer desk.
There was no seat cushion.
It was just your basic chair that one would use as a temporary solution for someone who is recovering from something.

Now...we fully expected this to happen, so it didn't bother us to say: sorry, but this is not what we need, take it back. Not that it probably would have mattered, but I explained to the guy that Wheelie's wheelchair is THE only piece of furniture he sits in, ALL frigging day long...so it NEEDS to be the correct size, width, length, height, and other equations...
He dutifully told us he could 'probably' order one...yeah right..

Then I took a peek on his order form.

Now get this: we would need to RENT this chair at $107 a month for 12 months, 80% of which will be covered by the insurance company and medicare.
After that we can BUY it!

Wow!

So basically this chair would cost $1284 to rent, I didn't even ask how much it would cost us to buy it after a year.

I went online and found this exact same chair for $275...FREE shipping!

Now...who's screwing who?

To say I am pissed is an understatement.

I realize that the chair we need costs a lot more, retails for about $1500 without any extras...
I'm not sure Humana would cover THAT, but then we didn't ask...yet...

It is infinitely worth it to me to go into debt again and plunk down the money.
It is so important for anyone who is in this position, to have a comfortable place to sit.

So on we go....our next step is a company in Rome, about 30 miles from us, that is supposed to specialize in wheelchairs....I'll give them a call tomorrow...

And so it goes...............

SGMKJ!