RollPositive wrote:Congratulations...another win...One just needs to stay on top of the process and hold people accountable...
THIS above everything!!!
From one with MD to another, congratulations on getting through this process successfully. Having just found this thread I feel for you having had it take so long. You know the important stuff now so hopefully when you are ready for your next chair in 5+ years you can find the right folks out of the gate. That is where I'm at now. I received my first chair from TheScooterStore (you know, the company that single-handedly caused so many states to force suppliers to jump through a ton of hoops now) and they made everything so easy and did everything for me. Everything except letting me demo anything but the Q6 Edge.
Stuff I learned:
Have your Primary Care Physician use Medicare's downloadable questionnaire made for this purpose. Ensure you have your Dr. add everything you can possibly need now or in the near future to obtain what you will need for the next 5 years. You can add later but it's far easier to get it upfront. Things go much smoother. This visit MUST be at least 70% about your chair and your need for it.
Pick a DME specialist near you that offers multiple choices of companies and has PT and OT that will come to YOU in a timely manner.
Make sure you have the opportunity to demo any chair you are interested in.
Insure the PT and OT get the paperwork off to Medicare ASAP. Medicare has 10 days from receiving their paperwork to give you an answer in the mail.
Once you have that proof, the DME can order your chair. Order and assembly can be a 2 month time period.
Also, any parts you are unsure about be sure your DR/PT/OT use the key words. Safety, can't use easily, causes pain/sores, edema, etc...
Replacement Parts earliest possible time (extenuating circumstances MAY apply):
Wheels - 18 Months
Batteries - 12 Months
Seat cushions - 18 Months
Chair/Electronics - Depends on manufacturer. (Permobile is 18 Months warranty).
Oh, and if you have any type of foot drop or similar, get yourself a set of AFO's (for "Transfers") They will allow you to stay on your feet longer with more stability and they are covered (minus 20%). Just do it AFTER you receive your chair.
I wish I had seen this post a long time ago to have helped more. I've been lucky as I'm just starting my second chair now. My Dr. Face-to-face was 8/1, my PT was 8/9 and my OT is 8/11. I'll be demoing chairs next week and my PT has an order form rdy for whichever I choose. I was told to expect my letter to be here in the next 2-3 weeks. Having gone through the process and already being in the system it helps my case a little. Also, for your next chair, you can not go backwards. What you have gotten on this chair you must get as a minimum on your next or it won't be covered. MD is one of those diseases that get you auto accepted with our government. Disability and DME for us can be easy if those we trust with our info know what they are doing.
If there is any questions I can answer I'll be more than happy to help. Good luck with your choice of chair and so happy to read, although it took a while, you are getting what you were after.
Premature congratulations (my wife says I'm good at that)! You will be MUCH happier getting around daily in a chair over a scooter, any day.