Getting the Most Out of Medicare
Many customers who need a Lightweight Wheelchair also need a bit of help in paying for them. A number of people look to Medicare for financial assistance with wheelchairs or other medical supplies, even though that procedure is neither straightforward nor fast, and if an organization offers you a bit of help you should accept it. It shouldn’t matter whether you are doing your own paperwork or if an organization is submitting it for you, however; you ought to start the process with one or two important pieces of information.
First, Medicare isn’t going to cover the whole expense of Folding Wheelchairs. Medicare will pay 80% of the price, yet you or your supplemental insurance will be responsible for the rest of the expense. Happily, quite a few medical suppliers will not insist on the entire cost of the chair right away; they will charge you for your 20% and wait until the reimbursement comes before asking for the balance. Of course, this will be easier if you confer with your retailer to ensure that the model you select is pre-approved by Medicare. If you purchase the chair and your paperwork is not approved, then you will either have to turn in the wheelchair or fund the unpaid 80% of the expense, which could hurt.
Medicare is especially fussy about who receives wheelchairs, and why. You could be confused by parts of the logic which steers Medicare. For instance, if you must employ a wheelchair to move around in your house, this program will generously provide the lowest priced wheelchair which will help you out.
On the other hand, if you manage easily at home if you have a walker but just need a wheelchair for errands, you are out of luck. Medicare is only interested in ensuring that you can get to your kitchen. While the thought of a motorized wheelchair may be attractive, Medicare is going to need a statement from your doctor reporting that you are unable to rely on a manual wheelchair in order to help you purchase a motorized model.
Additionally, Medicare will not help you buy Lightweight Folding Wheelchairs outright. Whatever the condition which leads you to depend on a wheelchair, Medicare will only allow you to rent a wheelchair for 10 months, then consider your condition and determine whether to allow you to purchase the chair. This method will have no effect on your use of the wheelchair, but it will be reflected in the paperwork that you are renting the chair instead of owning it.
As you have figured out, working with Medicare is a very bewildering experience. Companies that manufacture wheelchairs and other medical equipment have become quite proficient at working through the labyrinth of forms, so it is in your best interest to communicate clearly with your mobility device distributor. After the paperwork is submitted, you will get your wheelchair home and proceed with enjoying yourself. Happy wheeling!