I finally found my way back here; I mean I literally forgot how to find you all!
*panic*
I posted a week or so ago about
my loooong wait for the wheelchair my neurologist ordered. It was getting ridiculous; not only did I have nearly back to back appointments lined up, but I'd also started a new drug for headaches making me dizzy, among other wonderful side effects -- oh now there's a story! But I digress.
Anywho, I finally have my wheelchair, plus the most beautiful ramp built by my niece and nephew! My little fat dog and I are loving it.
But here's what the nice man who delivered the chair told me as to the delay. He said it used to be, your doctor wrote a prescript
ion for a WC, no problemo. They delivered, Medicare paid, done and done. Now, however, no doubt due to all the disabled folks defrauding Medicare for a $300 chair - I mean the street value alone, not to mention such potential for misuse and abuse, what with kids sneaking granny's WC out to go party at all hours of the night! - now, to crack down on waste and abuse, they've decided they're only going to pay for a wheelchair if a person needs it inside the home, and the onus is on the prescribing dr to prove they've determined, through a face to face meeting, that the patient is so incapacitated they can't make it to the kitchen, bathroom or bedroom without help. If you can crawl to the potty on your own, in other words, but need help when you go to the grocery store or whatever, then forget about
it, not covered. Anyway, my guess is my Dr. wanted to shore up the prescript
ion with my MRI results b/c shortly after my lumbar MRI it was cleared. So, lucky me!! I'm so decrepit I qualified [cue confetti and balloon drop].
AND THEN...so after my very last appointment was over (go ahead & chuckle. I must've been a real b[backspace] mean person in a previous life), the guy shows up. After setting up the chair, he actually had to take a tape measure and make sure it was going to fit through the doorways of the bathroom, bedroom & kitchen. I had to show him I could use it. So check those boxes off.
Now the funny thing. I guess if you're so decrepit you can't get to the bathroom, bedroom or kitchen on your own, they figure there's a small chance you might die in the next year, or get better, so in case that happens Medicare will rent to own this chair for me (less my monthly coinsurance) for 13 months. Then it's mine, if I'm still alive! So, to save money and cut down on waste, fraud and abuse, Medicare and I will be paying roughly double for a $300 WC. Isn't this fun?
Well at least my fat little dog is enjoying it. He's overweight at 12 lbs., but he's decided to become a sled/wheelchair dog by grabbing a tug-of-war rope toy with me holding the other end and running with it. I move as fast as I can to keep up the illusion! Super Dog. Then he does this thing on the ramp (which he's sure was built for him) that we cringingly call "threading the needle." Yup, he runs between the wheels as I creep up and down as slowly as possible, all the while expecting to hear a yelp.
It's a little scary but he's so fast it's like trying to catch smoke.
Anyway, I've had such an adventurous week - and that's not even all! - that I just has to share. Plus, I was frankly amazed at the lengths Medicare will go to in order to pay double for something in the name of saving money. I think it's important to cut down on waste and fraud as much as possible, but this seems, well, slightly stupid.
Onward and upward friends! May this find you in as good of spirits and as little pain as possible!