Power wheelchair industry lobbies against Medicare

KXXV-TV News - Waco, TX ^ | 02/29/2004 | Washington-AP

[devane617]

Power wheelchair industry lobbies against Medicare — (02/29/2004) (Washington-AP) -- A New Braunfels, Texas-based company is among four businesses undertaking a national lobbying campaign to challenge Medicare's new get-tough policy on reimbursements for power wheelchairs.

[devane617]

This is a story that should make every taxpayer mad. Since I have a disability and am confined to a wheelchair, I keep up-to-date on the industry news.

These companies such as mentioned in the article has been taking Medicare for a free ride long enough.

All it takes is a old person, or fat person say they need one of the over-priced beasts and Medicare pays many thousands. In most cases the purchaser in turn sells the power chair back to the selling company in a few weeks for a few hundred bucks, saying they no longer need the chair.

I have always used a manual chair, so I will stay in good physical shape, and it infureates me to see so many of the wannbe disabled people take advantage of programs that are intended to help people in "real" need.

I say lay off the cheese burgers and get some exercise!

Now I feel much better.

[BykrBayb]

Here's the rest of the excerpted article.

Power wheelchair industry lobbies against Medicare — (02/29/2004)
(Washington-AP) -- A New Braunfels, Texas-based company is among four
businesses undertaking a national lobbying campaign to challenge Medicare's
new get-tough policy on reimbursements for power wheelchairs.

The Scooter Store of New Braunfels and the other businesses say companies will be reluctant to
provide the wheelchairs without any upfront payments from the patient.

In September, government officials ordered more scrutiny of claims for power wheelchairs.

The chairs can cost six thousand dollars or more, depending on accessories.

The program ordered its insurance contractors to enforce strictly a policy that normally limits
reimbursements to those unable to walk.

Under the policy, if people can't get Medicare to pay for the wheelchairs, the wheelchair
manufacturers absorb the cost instead.

One large home medical equipment maker said the lobbying effort would ``turn over every stone'' to
convince the White House and the Health and Human Services Department that ``they made a
mistake.''

Medicare's chief financial officer, however, says the lobbying is more about profits than patients.

On the Net:

Industry site, Restore Access to Mobility Partnership:
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/040130/dcf015(underscore)1.html

Government site, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/default.asp

An interactive look at Medicare wheelchair fraud is available at:
http://wid.ap.org/interactives/wheelchair/chair1.swf

[aberaussie]

Besides people who are just too fat or lazy to push themselves around, do you approve of people getting them through medicare when they really are too frail or disabled to push themselves around, but are alert enough to handle the electronic chair? I ask as someone with two eldery parents, both of whom can barely push themselves around in their manual chairs and neither of whom is fat or lazy. The point for them is moot, however, because neither is alert enough to keep from mowing down some other senior citizent in the retirement facility.

[devane617]

Yes, I think your parents sounds like they are the very people the chairs are designed to help. However, as is the case with just about everything to do with the ADA, Medicare, Handicap Parking, it is those that take advantage that ruin it for those that need the help.

[cherry]

Let me tell you this quick story....

there's a fellow at work...very nice,btw...who has some kind of a deformed limb...

he always walked around for his job...

but know he gets this little scooter to take him around, and if he needs to get up, he does so easily...

he told me a few weeks ago what he did one night....

went out and line danced the entire night away....every single dance!

so tell me.....why is he using that electric chair?

[Conspiracy Guy]

It had to be said and you said it well. Bravo.

CG

[devane617]

Wow, a very informed person. Thanks for posting the story and links.

[BykrBayb]

lol - Not very informed, or I would have had something to add. I would like to say that when I see the commercials for those wheelchairs, it looks like a major Medicare scam to me. Medicare is supposed to be for those who need it, and those commercials seem to be aimed at those who want it.

[bikerman]

This has got to be the biggest scam ever, you should see the big ass tub of lards driving these things around in the supermarkets and yes even on the roads they put a whip antenna on the back with a flag so the cars will see them while they propell their lard asses around the place and the taxpayers are paying for them with Medicare.Saw one at a bar empty parked outside guess he was well enough to pull himself up to the bar.

[packrat35]

My mother-in-law got one of these $5,000 wonders and used it ONCE. What a waste. That's not counting the 2 artifical legs at $5,000 each (she got them 5 years apart for her left leg) that she never used.

All you need to do is tell your doctor you need one and its FREE to you. Just us taxpayers got to pay for it.

When she passed away, we donated it to a family with a disabled kid and he DID get use of it. He really needed it, but didn't qualify to get one from the government. Go figure!

[shhrubbery!]

so tell me.....why is he using that electric chair?

He might be a malingerer.

OR, he might actually have a disability that allows him to pursue normal activities part of the time (including dancing the night away occasionally).

Remember that golfer, Casey Martin, who had a deformed leg and something called KTW syndrome? He could participate in normal activities; yet prolonged standing or walking was painful and potentially dangerous for him.

NOT that I'm in favor exceptions to PGA rules for Martin -- nor for taxpayers having to foot the bill for power wheelchairs.

[Nataku X]

You're right on. I've got a friend who's deaf and guess what he does all day. Play games and live off SS and get Medicare and get free college education through vocational rehab. I'm worse off than he is in terms of disability (for one thing, he can speak perfectly--my speech is unintelligible)... but wouldn't be able to get SS if I wanted to because I've had a job for the past 5 years proving that I can work with my disabilities. LOL.

The key to getting on the SS safety net is to find an imaginary handicap, and NEVER start a job at all--there are tons of people with ADD and even depression living on SS.

Many good people have had progressive disabilities that get worse as time goes on, and when they finally really cannot work they find that they can't get SS because they prove they've worked in the past.

I believe disability and Medicare are a must in a civilized society that can afford it, but a very tiny percentage actually "need" it--probably less than 1%. I know about 10 people on it and none of 'em need it...

[devane617]

Interesting comments packrat. I made the decision many years ago to work my ass off and get an education, so I could support myself, and that is exactly what I have done. Because of my disability I need a lightweight wheelchair, but because I make too much money, I get no assistance when I need to spend $4000 for a new chair. Yet I hear stories like yours and see these situations daily.

[SoCalPol]

This is a subject I am more than tick off at.
I have been on forearm crutches for many yrs. and
custom made leg brace. Recently retired of many yrs. work.
My transporation is walking and bus.
I see countless numbers of people getting on buses in
their power wheelchairs, even getting up to help turn them
in a tight turn and after settling in, get up and walk to
the front to pay their fair. I tell them, gee I wish I
could walk that well.
One couple in their early 30s got on, the guy got on in the chair, parked it walked to the front and I said what are
you doing in that chair that my taxes paid for, he said it
is not for me but for her, I said then why arn't you in it
she said I lose my balance sometimes, I said then use crutches. I could go one with more ugly examples.
I have spoken to welfare fraud and they could care less.
being ret. civil service myself the system is packed with
liberals that incourage this.

[devane617]

What a shame. Those of us that see it first-hand know the true story.

You know SoCalPol, you and I need to work for the Gov in a position to check into the "real status" of applicants. I bet we could save the taxpayers Billions.

I am a bleeding heart for no one, but I will give my shirt to anyone that truly needs it.

[SoCalPol]

You know SoCalPol, you and I need to work for the Gov in a position to check into the "real status" of applicants. I bet we could save the taxpayers Billions.


How true. Having been a gov. worker with the county attys
I could write a book. Only the gov. depts by and large
arn't interested.

[devane617]

I just ran across these facts as published in the dmn..

Nationally, total Medicare payments for motorized wheelchairs increased from $289 million in 1999 to $538 million in 2001, with payments of over $845 million in 2002, and a projected $1.2 billion for 2003. By contrast, overall Medicare benefit payments rose only 11 percent during that same period.

The number of Medicare beneficiaries with at least one claim for a motorized wheelchair rose from just over 55,000 in 1999 to almost 159,000 in 2002, an increase of 189 percent, while the overall Medicare population rose only 1 percent per year during that same time period.