I'm here to tell you that I most definetly qualify for a power assist chair or scooter as per all my doctors as I have post polio syndrome and my legs are getting worse. I can not go to parks or walk on uneven ground because of my balance. Medicare has granted me a chair but it can only be used inside my home? What good is that as I'm still confined to my home and if they see me use it outside I lose it. They have inspectors with cameras according to my doctors.
I use a business chair with rollers inside my home so I don't need a power chair. I wanted a scooter so I can take my grandson fishing off the many piers available and close to us here in Florida, walk our brand new German Shepard puppy that my son bought for us or just go to a nearby park with a lake and wildlife whereas I love to photograph.
Prior to 2005 this would not be a problem but medicare changed the ruleing to save money. There were so many other ways to save money by stopping Medicare fraud....
Medicare? What a Joke!!!
Ted, I would gladly send you mine! I am 50 years old. Every time I get a new chair, I have to prove to Mcare that I will live 7 years - they don't think it's worth getting a chair for someone with a shorter life expectancy. Maybe if you get your MDs to write a lovely, passionate letter explaining about how the Quality of Life issues will prolong your life to make a scooter worth the investment! You have always been proactive in taking care of your health, and having a scooter or power chair is one more way you would do that. (Btw I recommend a scooter over chair, if possible.) Being on house arrest in FL makes no sense!
How's the doggie? Do you have HP parking? That doctor!
No good! My doctor tried everything and he was very frusteratedas he knows how desperately I need a Scooter. When I was really sick I paid off all my bils through a debt program that saved me 50 to 60% on my payments so I am clean and I only now pay $150 per month to live here with my family so I'm trying to save up to buy a scooter as my credit rating is now between fair and good and that is not very strong. And yes I do have HP parking.
So if you have HP parking, aren't you supposed to be able to leave the house to use it? Grrrr, I agree, Medicare is horribly frustrating. The power chair they fit me for (or at least paid for) causes all kinds of pain, so I'd rather use the manual chair for less pain (but still pain). I'm going to the Seating Clinic on Wednesday. If they say "your chair doesn't fit you correctly; you need a new smaller chair, bigger, new cushion, whatever," you think M'care is going to be happy to pay for it? Anticipating a big battle.
I have an extra scooter in my garage - needs a new battery and I have no idea how you'd get it from Boston to Florida. But there it is. We were always planning to get the battery and use it as a back up for this stupid Chair of Pain.
Carrie -- That would be wonderful but you are right about transporting. Still that is really sweet of you. I will just have to save my money for a four wheel scooter as I will be walking my German Shepard puppy and until she is properly trained she could pull over a three wheeler. My prayers will be answered someday soon as I have deep faith in God.
As far as medicare they really changed the rules that a power chair or scooter CAN NOT BE USED OUTSIDE THE HOME. I read the rules that my doctor should me and was very disheartened. My dream was broken for now. This picture is six weeks old. She is now twice as big and her name is Zena. She is really a family dog aand loves all of us equally. I would still like to get a Shih-Tzu as they are a lap dog and never leave your side and we always had two dogs,
What the heck is the point of a power chair if you can't take it outside?
Power chairs INSIDE mess up the walls and doorways! Power chairs belong OUTSIDE. Grrrrrrr. We're spending untold hours trying to repair the damage done to the inside from my 20 years of power chairs.
It is the dumbest rule they could make but it has been in effect since 2005? I should have applied back then because I still had Post Polio and would have definetly qualified. Trying to save money now but because I could not buy anyting for two or more years while I was paying off my bilss I could not buy the things I really need such as orthopedic shoes that cost $189.00 per pair and I can't have just one pair so I need two more. A dress shoe and a sneaker. These are special shoes that can be repaired and not thrown away after a repair job like a Walmart shoe which breaks down quickly because of poor quality. OK for normal walking person but I am very hard on shoes so I must use orthopedic or I can not walk without pain.
I hear you - but it's hard on women because the shoes I can wear only come in black and white, or if we're lucky, black, bone/camel and white. I WANT RED SHOES! I used to have low budget Imelda Marcos worth of shoes. Maybe I needed a lot because none of them fit right and I could only wear them a few hours without pain but at least I had some variety! Then the pressure sores started....so now I am much more limited.
Ted, My doctor did'nt want to fill out all the paperwork for mine. This is one of the reasons the American Health Care system is rated 37th in the world. Cuba is #38
France is #1 and we pay more than any other country for our health care. Canadas health care is about as bad as ours.
Carrie, Do you wear SAS shoes? It's what I wear.
Vickie
No, I think they're HushPuppies.
Those are good shoes too. Think They are rated the same as SAS and cost about the same.
On the other hand, Medicare saved my life, or at least paid for the hospital care that saved my life in 2001.
Then Medicare is worth a fortune Carrie.((((HUGS))))
Yes, they have their good and bad points but mostly good but I wish they would confer with the public before making such serious decisions such as taking away the power chairs and carts by disallowing outside use? RIDICULOUS!
Ted
Yes, Ted, I very much agree with you there. And don't get me started on Medicare part D .... them I am NOT happy with.
Ted, I saw in a local paper someone had a power chair for sale. Wonder if you could advertise and maybe get a used chair.
Vickie
Ozone,--- I hesitate buying a chair from a deceased person. I'm not superstisious but I would feel weird driveing it. Can you understand my feelings
Usually it's someone who can't use it any more, not necessarily deceased, but maybe confined to bed or house for some reason.
Thats what i was thinking too. I do understand your feelings tho.
To me death is nothing to be feared.But then I beleive in angels.Most of the people I have known are already gone.
Vickie
What a dissapointment I had yesterday! I tried to buy a scooter for $1699 from Spinlife and they use Bill Me Later which I have used in the past but they declined me? I never fell nehind on my bills I just used a debt payment program to pay my bills because I was in no mental state to remember payments although they did save me 60% off my original amount of $14,000 which included my hospital bills. Oh well! I'll just have to save money slowly but surely. It will take me many months as a lot of things were neglected while I was paying the required amount. Such as orthopedic shoes, podiatrist, rheumatologist, clothing, car expenses etc. It was tough but I did it and will do it again. I want my scooter to enjoy life as I don't have too many years left. (confidentially) However I was happy to promote earthboxes (EBs) to DG so I did accomplish some good and no I did not recieve any compensation from them. Not even a Thanks.
Ted
Ted, THANKS! It was your preaching that got me to try them (well, one) and I actually grew tomatoes in Massachusetts, a state not very hospitable to tomatoes, and it was the cold wet summer that we had all the late blight nonsense. (It sure wasn't nonsense if you got it!) Instead, I got HORNWORMS! But it was thrilling and I hope to do it again soon.
Carrie
Thank You! I'll, be out there today, weather permitting, for final set-up.