01-09-2014, 10:05 AM | #1 |
New Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: AZ
Posts: 12
|
Insurance/Medicare Coverage
Since Segways are protected devices under the ADA, has anyone had success getting insurance or Medicare to pay for their Segway... as scooters are paid.
Thanks.
__________________
Ciao...... Dino |
01-09-2014, 04:08 PM | #2 | |
Member
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: SW Missouri, near Springfield
Posts: 875
|
Quote:
The fact that it is not FDA approved, has --or should have--nothing to do with it. It is a long expensive process and most wheel chairs, etc. are not approved either. If anyone knows more than I do, please share!
__________________
Lily Kerns ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Faculty: To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. |
|
01-14-2014, 08:33 PM | #3 |
Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: US
Posts: 84
|
Medicare will only pay an approved DME for scooters, and Segways are not available at DMEs. (A DME is a licensed medical equipment provider for anyone who does not know.)
Also, they aim to only give them to people who can't get around their home. They don't care about the disabled people being unable to go outside or do errands. You are only supposed to get a power scooter if you're unable to operate the manual wheelchair, and a power wheelchair only if you can't use the power scooter. Basically, they are trying to reduce costs by only giving the absolute minimum needed. http://www.medicare.gov/Pubs/pdf/11046.pdf I read that the DME sends someone to your home to decide which device to give you, after your doctor prescribes it as necessary. |
01-16-2014, 04:06 AM | #4 | |
Advanced Member
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Marin County, CA
Posts: 3,783
|
Quote:
There are many, many studies on mortality and morbidity when people lose the ability to leave their homes. The Medicare position is I believe financially irresponsible. I think the chances are better with private insurance companies, which have more flexibility to make their own rules. But they do tend to follow Medicare's lead. The last I knew, the Muscular Dystrophy Foundation would help with power chairs but not Segways. That was a few years ago. I keep meaning to attend one of their events and try to do a bit of education... But I'm certain that far more Segways have been funded through private donations than commercial or governmental insurance.
__________________
Bob Kerns: To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. , To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Obviously, we can't have infinite voltage, or the universe would tear itself to shreds, and we wouldn't be discussing Segways. |
|
01-20-2014, 03:04 PM | #5 | |
Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: US
Posts: 84
|
Quote:
I could understand them being willing to provide a scooter, but not a Segway, however, as Segways are a lot more costly. (Unless someone's disabilities made it so a Segway was the only one they could use.) They might argue they have a bigger learning curve (which may not be true, but they would say it), and they wouldn't understand how safe a Seg is. The providers are commonly referred to as DMEs though. Misuse of terms/abbreviations happens a lot. |
|
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests) | |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|