Getting the Most Out of Medicare
Many folks who need a Lightweight Wheelchair additionally require additional assistance in funding them. A number of people look to Medicare for financial help with wheelchairs or other mobility aids, but the procedure is neither simple nor quick, and if your retailer offers you any help you should accept it. It doesn’t matter whether you are capable of processing your own paperwork or if someone else is submitting it for you, by the way; you should jump into the process with a few important pieces of information.
First, Medicare does not cover the whole expense of Folding Wheelchairs. The program will offset 80% of the price, but you or your supplemental insurance will be responsible for the rest of the cost. Happily, many retailers will not bill you the full cost of the chair in advance; they simply invoice you for your 20% then wait until the paperwork clears before requesting the balance. Of course, this will be easier if you communicate with your supplier to ensure that the model you purchase is pre-approved by Medicare. If you purchase the chair then your reimbursement is not approved, then you are going to either have to turn in the item or pay the other 80% of the expense, which might hurt.
Medicare is especially fussy about who gets funding for wheelchairs, and why. You might be surprised at parts of the logic which guides certain reimbursements. For instance, if you need a wheelchair to function in your house, this program will generously provide the least expensive model that can ensure your mobility.
Although, if you manage effectively at home by using some crutches and just need a wheelchair for errands, you are going to be disappointed. Medicare is only interested in making sure that you can get to your kitchen. While the idea of a motorized wheelchair might be tempting, Medicare would need a statement filled out by your doctor maintaining that you are too weak to use a manual wheelchair in order to help you finance a motorized model.
Additionally, Medicare will not help you buy Lightweight Folding Wheelchairs directly. Regardless of the reason that leads you to need a wheelchair, Medicare will only help you to rent a wheelchair for 10 months, then reexamine your case and determine whether to help you to own the chair. This method will have no consequence on your use of the wheelchair, but it will be reflected in the paperwork that you are renting the chair as opposed to owning it.
As you can see, working with Medicare is a very convoluted course of action. Companies that market wheelchairs and other mobility aides have become alarmingly skillful at navigating through the labyrinth of forms, so it is in your best interest to have a good relationship with your mobility device distributor. When all the paperwork is done, you will bring your wheelchair home and get on with your life. Happy wheeling!
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