Medicare and Wheelchairs

Did you know.......

As I've said in this blog, my mother, 85, broke a bone in her right knee in January.  Half way through the recover period, she developed a stress fracture in the left knee because she had been putting all her weight on the left getting in and out of the wheelchair.  We're now in Week 10 of recover and only now can she get up and use her walker for short periods of time. 

She's got a deadline of sorts.  We're leaving next week to stay with my daughter and help prepare for her wedding on the 26th.  Mom doesn't want to arrive at the chapel in a wheelchair. LOL

I started thinking about all I've learned about wheelchairs in the last couple months and thought I would pass it along.

Paying for the equipment.

Check with your insurance company about "Durable Medical Equipment."  For Medicare and most insurance coverage, you will need a prescription from a doctor or order from a home health agency that is responsible for the patient.  Equipment includes canes, walkers, wheelchairs, power chairs, and even accessories, like a commode chair to keep by the bed at night, or a respirator.

Be sure you understand what is covered.  Medicare, for example, will pay 80% but there are limitations.  They will pay as you get more physically handicapped, first a cane, then a walker, wheelchair, and power chair.  Note that you cannot go backwards, so if you have used Medicare coverage to pay for a wheelchair, you will not be covered for the cost of a walker. 

I believe you can still have a replacement after 3 years but that may have changed, so check it out.  Any medical supply house where you go to get the equipment will know the latest regulations. 

Also, Medicare will pay 80% of up to 13 months rental of a wheelchair if you have a prescription. 

This site gives a good overview of the kinds of equipment that is covered. 

http://www.careutah.com/services/a8_about_home_medical_equipment.htm

Wheelchairs come in a number of sizes, for example, my mother is 4'8" and weighs only 98 pounds.  She has a smaller, 16" wheelchair.  This measurement is the width of the seat.  To determine if a wheelchair will go through the doors in your house, talk to your provider.  Either they will have the wheel width, or you can add 8" to the seat width as an estimate.  They will also be able to tell you the appropriate size needed by the height and weight of the patient.

I was fortunate to have a handy son who came to visit and built a temporary wheelchair ramp for us, but I'll talk about ramps in another post. 

Transportation is my next challenge.  Getting two adults, two dogs, suitcases, gifts, her wheelchair and my walker all in one care for our trip to the wedding.  This should be interesting. 

Take Care

Kathy