Your Help Is Needed

If you’re a regular reader of my blog then you know that I’m trying to get a new wheelchair to replace the one I have now which is 12 years old.   Power wheelchairs are very expensive and there is no way I could afford one unless it’s paid for by insurance and some other funding sources.   Right now I’m waiting on Medicare to review my doctor’s prescription and certificate of medical necessity for a new power wheelchair.   Medicare is the only insurance I have.   Medicare generally pays 80% of what they deem appropriate cost for medically necessary equipment.   The Muscular Dystrophy Association will pay up to $2000 every five years towards the purchase of a new wheelchair for me since I am covered under their 50 neuromuscular diseases.

Medicare has decided to make changes in their policies and guidelines that will restrict the amount of money they will fund towards medically necessary power mobility products.   Basically it comes down to this — if it will get you mobile inside your house they will pay for it, but if you need something to help you be mobile in the community such as going to the store or doctors appointment or to church, etc., they won’t pay for it.   These new guidelines will go into effect October 1 unless Medicare can be persuaded to postpone the implementation of these new guidelines so that more realistic guidelines can be put in place.   My concern is that these new restrictions will make it impossible for me to get the new power wheelchair I so desperately need.   The new chair that I want to get will have many features on it that will enable me to have more independence and better mobility both in my home and in the community at large.

Here is what I’m asking you to do: please visit this website http://capwiz.com/medgroup/home/ and click on the first action alert “Planned October 1, 2006 Power Mobility Changes Must Be Postponed”.   This will take you to another page where you can fill out a form that will send an e-mail from you to all the appropriate government officials who need to be persuaded to make this decision.   If you choose to follow through on this request, please let me know you did it.   Thank you!