Nordgren’s, and part is due to the nightmare of paperwork that dealers face in getting the right equipment in the first place. Nordgren’s history of wheelchair purchases is a lesson in itself. When she sustained an SCI at the T12 level at the age of 22, her first chair was a Quickie, which served her well, but she opted for a TiLite replacement several years later. Although she lives in Massachussettes, a Physical Therapist at Craig Hospital in Denver helped with ordering her chair, and to date, this is the best experience Nordgren has had in purchasing equipment. “They were awesome, they knew exactly what to do.”
When it came time to replace the TiLite, she called someone she knew at TiLite who helped her fill out all the measurements and specifics over the phone. When her chair arrived, she realized she had made a mistake in ordering. The chair wasn’t right for her. So this time she went to her local DME dealer to re-order. The same thing happened again. On the third try, the order went through without problems, but the protracted three-part process, mired in paperwork and delays, took 1.5 years to run its course. And she ended up having to pay significantly more than the insurance company allowed.
“I am very fortunate that I have a good job and I am able to get what I need,” she says. “I can’t even imagine what it is like to have to deal with all this without the right support or enough money to get the right equipment. Maybe it was just this particular situation, but the people I dealt with did not know what they were doing, and this complicated the process.”
Getting the chair you need is more complicated than ever today. Medicare and insurance companies are re-structuring the process and narrowing windows of approval. Longer delays are the norm. DME dealers are squeezed by lower reimbursement allowables and more complex and time-consuming documentation.
THE “SUPERSTAND” WHEELCHAIR
On June 18, 2008, the Center for Accessible Living provided a training for its staff on one of the newest wheelchairs entitled the “Superstand” Wheelchair. The wheelchair was demonstrated by a representative of The Standing Company.
The inventor of the “Superstand” has been a wheelchair user for 22 years. He incorporated many safety and comfort features into the chair, including a design that makes transferals easier. The chair, which can safely hold the weight of up to 400 lbs, weighs 160 pounds and is designed so that the stander will not fall over if the wheelchair is bumped. It comes in manual or power, and is custom-designed to meet the individual needs of the user.
The cost of a manual chair starts at $9,200. The Standing Company will actively pursue creative means
CONTINUED UNDER FOR SALE
FOR SALE***
WC Lift; $7,000 new; only used 2 months; asking $3,000. Invacare Storm TDX 3 Power WC; full reclining; less that 1 year old; $12,000 new; asking $2,000. Quickie II manual chair; good cond.; $800. Call David 589-6620.
*Cookbooks for Sale: Recipes compiled by Chapter members; $10:00. Call David @ 589-6620.
*Video tapes for sale. Various topics related to spinal cord injuries. Call David Allgood or Buddy Lawson.
***If assistance is needed to pay for any of the above items, contact Kentucky Assistive Technology Loan Corporation at 1-800-327-5287 for information on loans at 5% interest to qualified candidates.
And as always, our lovely shirts
are for sale, too!
“SUPERSTAND”, CONT’D
of funding. Some sources include Medicaid/Medicare, private insurance, Vocational Rehabilitation, MS Society, Brain Injury Association and Veterans Administration.
Standing reduces the occurrence of bladder infections and pressure sores. Other benefits include:
