Posted on 03/09/2013 3:26:53 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
Late Friday afternoon, The Scooter Store's chief executive notified employees that — effective immediately, but “with certain exceptions” — they'd been placed on unpaid furlough.
In an email, CEO Martin “Marty” Landon told employees not to return to work unless they receive notice from the company's human resources department.
The Scooter Store, one of the nation's largest suppliers of power wheelchairs and scooters, had about 1,800 workers as of last month. That's following the announcement in February that it had cut 150 positions.
About 1,200 employees worked out of its New Braunfels headquarters.
The furloughs came a little more than two weeks after federal agents executed a search warrant at the company's headquarters, presumably as part of an investigation into Medicare and Medicaid fraud....
(Excerpt) Read more at mysanantonio.com ...
You come across as a heartless prick who picks on the disabled.
That is how it is supposed to work. It is supposed to take a certification process including diagnoses and some history to back it up usually if that is the first time. For the average doctor seeing patients in a private practice it is considerable work for the doctor and staff. It sounds like it was an in house system to me. Fraud does need to be contained. My aunt needed one as she was unable to walk but a couple of steps the last dozen or so years of her life. The family bought her one because she didn't medically qualify for it through Medicare. Go figure.
Before anyone goes on the rant warpath about the family using Medicare they were also dealing with two quadriplegic adults in the family living in the house as well. My aunt till her health prevented her doing so was their caregivers.
Sometimes life just don't work out the way you planned. Most blue collar workers and I'd say over 50% white collar workers are one catastrophic illness away from Medicare. When it hits the first thing you loose besides mobility or ability to work is your income. The second thing is insurance.M
I've been down that road twice first with my wife who became quadriplegic and 10 years later my own disabilities hit. We had to bankrupt on her illness. Mine thankfully was a disability that didn't run up hospital or doctor bills we couldn't cover.
That is the part where I disagreed with bankruptcy reform. There should have been a catastrophic illness clause written in. I watched my white collar B.I.L. get wiped several times over my uninsurable sister. He got laid off and they lost everything. He went bankrupt after the reforms hit. Afterward she had a stroke and another nearly $100K added. His last two years he lived they had healthcare insurance again through where he worked. When he passed it was COBRA Time till she was ruled widowed and disabled. Medicare just kicked in three months ago. Lucky for her he had purchased considerable life insurance that covered that period of time.
No doubt there is fraud afoot here, but then the scooter type chairs are for untold numbers of seniors and other disabled, the difference between a bedfast life and independent mobility. If you were laid up more or less permanently, which would you prefer?
well what did they used to do in the old days before the scooter pray tell
No doubt there is fraud afoot here, but then the scooter type chairs are for untold numbers of seniors and other disabled, the difference between a bedfast life and independent mobility. If you were laid up more or less permanently, which would you prefer?
The Texas Court of Appeals just told the City of New Braunfels to take their Container Ban (Beer Ban on River) and stick it. The City is deciding whether or not to spend more of my property taxes to appeal again to the Texas Supreme Court. Grams, come on down and drink your BEER this Summer, this ludicrous Beer Ban will be thrown out by then, IMHO.
If you do come look me up, I'm a block from the Comal River, would love to meet any Freeper.
When I drove over the bridge over the Guadalupe this past week, I saw lots of rocks and not much water! The lake is about 9’ low. We need a good rain up around Kerrville.
Love your town-Kerrville
I hear ya about SA stealing the water. I didn't know the stinkin' attorney now works for SAWS...but, I am not surprised.
True. But do they get the same model as shown on TV? Medicaid/Medicare has fixed prices they will pay any contracted dealer. The Medicaid/Medicare customers were likely getting a basic model made on Medicare/Medicaid contract. Scooters unlike wheelchairs can be built with one or two sizes fits all construction.
On wheelchairs and maybe some scooters I'm not sure on scooters will also pay for certain PRESCRIBED by physician options like tilt back seats on wheelchairs.
To someone who doesn't know beans about wheelchairs or paraplegia/quadriplegia it may seem like a rip off of the system. The tilt back seats are to relieve pressure areas. A person in a motorized wheelchair for example tilted back isn't doing it for comfort but rather medical necessity. Pressure sores cost lots of money too treat. Good functional seating is much cheaper.
Like a wise anti-union professor once told me “Mr. Prick has started more unions than any of the union bosses.”
Should have been solar powered!
The truth? Many persons ended up in state contracted nursing homes at the cost to taxpayers of about $50-$100 a day or at a bare minimal $18K a year with $25K a year being a closer number. Others who did have family used manual wheelchairs meaning the person was 100% dependent on a family member to push the chair.
Scooters and even wheelchairs allow many persons which a couple of decades ago would have been confined to a care facility or home in bed to still live an active life. A basic strip down contract scooter is likely going to cost Medicare/Medicaid about $800 - $1200 depending on options prescribed and should under normal use last about seven years if treated right including maintenance. Keep in mind Medicare doesn't pay retail price. They'll contract with the dealer and/or manufacture for specific models sold with specific features at specific cost.
Scooters aren't as complicated components wise as a motorized wheelchairs are. In some cases they are actually cheaper than a custom build {fitted} manual wheelchair.
The real money to be made for the dealers is where private pay customers will come in and say WTH for $2500 I'll get all I want. Even Wally World sells them on line.
My 90 Year Old Father wanted a Hoveround to take him where he wanted to go. I think he really wanted the free Insulated Cup and Cup holder they were offering with the Chair.
We took him to a Doctor for an evaluation and was declined.
He uses a Cane and a Walker right now and he is pretty shaky when he walks more than 100 feet. He still wasn’t considered to be in bad enough shape to need a power chair.
Meanwhile, I love watching the big fat people using the Power Shopping Carts at Walmart and at the Grocery Store. Most of them are half my Father’s age. LOL
I had better start checking Craigslist. Sounds like the same thing people do with Food Stamps, sell the Groceries bought by the Taxpayers for cash. The price of Choom is skyrocketing in the Obama Economy you know.
Oops, needs a couple of corrections..
My 90 Year Old Father wanted a Hoveround to take him where he wanted to go. I think he really wanted the free Insulated Cup and Cup holder they were offering with the Chair.
We took him to a Doctor for an evaluation and HE was declined.
He uses a Cane and a Walker right now and he is pretty shaky when he walks more than TEN feet. He still wasn’t considered to be in bad enough shape to need a power chair.
Meanwhile, I love watching the big fat people using the Power Shopping Carts at Walmart and at the Grocery Store. Most of them are half my Father’s age. LOL
I had better start checking Craigslist. Sounds like the same thing people do with Food Stamps, sell the Groceries bought by the Taxpayers for cash. The price of Choom is skyrocketing in the Obama Economy you know.
I think you make the case for a socialistic society and government.
I take it you haven't had much contact with "private" firms that sell stuff to Medicare/Medicaid patients and get paid directly by the government?
The fraud and corruption that many of these firms get away with is breathtaking.
We had a run in with this mess when my Uncle's over ruled my Dad and put my Grandmother in a nursing home. These private firms would bilk my Grandma AND the government for 10 times the normal costs for clothes and sundry items and such. They had a real scam going. When my Dad found out about it there commenced a severe shit storm that is legendary around these parts!
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