Time it takes to get a chair.

[Burgerman]

Right then.
Ordered special build chair 13/14th Jan, with several non standard custom options not on complex prescription form. (fancy REM550 control system, central power footplates etc)

From order to delivery, 2 countries, Invacare Germany build, invacare UK custom mods, delivery to dealer, and delivery 190 miles to me:

Hi John,
Your chair is in!
Are you available on Monday early afternoon?
I can deliver the chair then.
Regards

So ordered 14th January.
Delivery on Monday, 6th February.
So total time = 21 days!

If it takes longer than this you are being lied to. This is what happens if the end user is the one doing the buying £$£$£

[hobie1dog]

Checked today and still in the paperwork stage from my physician back to Medicaid. So far right at 5 months

[Burgerman]

My way seems faster. Ordered a month ago. Been here 8 or 9 days. Sat on charge looking at me...

[Burgerman]

Checked today and still in the paperwork stage from my physician back to Medicaid. So far right at 5 months

Paper? Takes literally a 5 mins. Not 5 months.
You quite literally just tick the boxes on the prescription forms, email it/ send it to the factory for production next day.

What takes them FIVE MONTHS?
Doesn't anyone think to ask?
On day two, I would be asking for a delivery date and progress report!!!
And on day three, four, five, etc...

Mine took 21 days, slower than the usual 7 to 10 days, only because it was a one off with non standard prescription form change.s Like power central footplate/rem550 controller etc with unique programming and configuration. And because it had to be built from scratch to suite my order in Germany by invacare EU, shipped to the UK which takes a week longer. Still not bad, and kept informed.

[F3Head]

I went in for my wheelchair evaluation prior to ordering in early May 2015 and had my Permobil F3 by July 28, 2015. I made about three visits for measuring and consultation with the therapist, which is required by Medicare rules. Funny thing here in the US is the therapist cannot recommend to clients in the US one power wheelchair manufacturer over another. Not in my case at least. So wheelchair users are left to their own to figure out which power chair is best. The ATP wasn't allowed to recommend any power wheelchair either. After delivery and quick set up and adjustments by Permobil rep and National Seating Mobility ATP, the NSM ATP was nowhere to be found! The service technician was just as bad. He flat out told me he didn't have time for installing trivial items like a chest harness I ordered. No money in it… he comes out to my house and he didn't even charge his electric drill. He did install the harness eventually but under pressure from me just to get it done. The chair was delivered to me in near record time for the US I believe. No trouble with it so far…

F3HEAD

[Burgerman]

2 months, not too bad! A tad frustrating but within reason. Why was yours faster?

[Burgerman]

A NSM manager told me the x5 I have cost the VA $33k.
&
My Amysystems with 50 tilt in space, recline, elevate, power leg rests and light kit and a custom seat were $29000.

http://www.wheelchairjunkie.com/forums/ ... #Post73583

Much as above, tilt, recline, elevate, legs, etc. But also fancy controller, central footplate, 8mph, brushless gearless motors, 7k delivered in 3 weeks and sat in my room.

Cant make any sense of this mess either http://www.newmobility.com/2016/04/unde ... me-prices/

[cheriva]

I was trying to get Medicare to buy me the equivalent of what I have now, except the chair I have now was the mistake from the last round of getting medicare to buy me a chair (has tilt and what I need is recline, and oh by the way it's a pediatric chair -- but I've had to live with it for 8 years anyway).

23 months. 4 or 5 doctor visits, 3 OT evaluations, 1 PT evaluation to document my needs. No chair yet.

First they said I have to pay for elevate myself (even though they paid for it on my current chair). I said OK.
Then they said I don't need power legs. I said OK, I have perfectly good center-mount manual reclining legs on my current chair, I will think of a way to move it over.
Then after several months, they rejected the whole thing, said I don't need power recline. AAARRRGGH! I said OK, I will accept manual recline.
Then after several months, they rejected the whole thing, said I need a manual chair. I said no. Went back to the doctor who documented -- again -- that my hands don't work so well. And the chair was approved.

And they sent it to me... it elevates but won't drive while elevated, reclines way less than 45 degrees... it's something my mother might use to go shopping. I rejected it.

Went online and bought a used chair with ALL the power functions, cheaper than my cost for the Medicare chair, which will be adjusted for me and shipped and should arrive in about 2-3 weeks. Almost exactly two years from the time I started this process.

[Burgerman]

All sounds so highly efficient over there in the land of the free!

Its sometimes similar here. But not usually quite that slow. All a matter of luck and how good you are at getting your own way...

I suggest it pays to learn lots. Buy and fix/build/program your own chairs out of pocket. Have spare chair(s) and use eBay etc. Use their chairs if and when they turn up or bother. Used chairs can be as new and dirt cheap. And use their expensive ones for all the winter/dirty jobs and look after/use your own ones more carefully. Either way having one single chair is hopeless! They fail.

[cheriva]

....use their expensive ones for all the winter/dirty jobs and look after/use your own ones more carefully.....

I like that idea! The biggest advantage of a chair paid for by Medicare is that they have to maintain it. Henceforth I will only take THEIR chair out in snow or rain.

[Burgerman]

I have a bit more of a problem. Currently they give me money. I spend it on MY chairs. So they are all mine

And I have a virginal copy of a BM1 awaiting a lithium pack 6mph/tilt, Polished, tested, configured, never used sat in kitchen.
BM2 used for a decade, now rebuilt into an almost completed BM2.5-Lithium 7mph+ and about 55 mile range no tilt etc,
BM3 16mph,lithium, long range (45 mile) awaiting a motor to be fixed otherwise absolutely as brand new in my kitchen,
An old BM1 chair thats hammered and abused and no paint left and lives outside as emergency backup, currently in use!
A brand new storm4 Explore 8mph brushless motors, silly range, about to get lithium with fancy seating and lift etc as yet unused looking at me,
A 2nd hand Storm3 brushless bought today, tilt, recline, 8mph, thats a decade old but 5 hours use...

So 5 decent chairs. 2 need about 2 hours each to fix or finish. ALL as new except the outdoor wrecked abused one, and the "as yet uncollected" one that is functional and just needs a clean and reprogram, seat moving back for best control. And another we wont mention in parts. So 6 really.

In a few weeks time if my pressure sores stay away, all these will be fixed, adjusted and programmed as new. And 2 more will be lithium. And the tatty one that lives outdoors will be rebuilt over summer as new brushless/lithium super long range chair.

[hobie1dog]

The paperwork for my new chair finally got processed through Medicaid, took 6 months so far. Now the order will be placed for it and will take another month before it gets here.

[Burgerman]

Life too short for that!

[expresso]

its been two months since my first clinic visit - waiting on next clinic date for a demo chair - boulder - i decided i will demo one - and then decide - by the time i demo this chair - i bet another 2 to 3 months - then once i decide on this chair or another 646 - then they start the paper work - can take up to 6 months easy and a good year after paper work before i get the chair

most of the fault is on the Vendors - clinics - YES insurance plays a part - but if it dosnt take me 6 months to get to the paper work part - i would have a chair in 6 months - not over a year - its all Bullshit - and they all suck really -

BM got the best deal - how he gets his chairs - but that wont work here really - it can - but a few of us can really pick out our own chairs - most dont care to learn about the features - seat size etc, - if they let everyone just do there own thing -
what will happen is - 9 out of 10 will complain afterwards that there chair is not right or this and that - and they wont have no one to blame but themselves - since they were giving the voucher etc, to do there own thing -

it would be great for many of us - but terrible for most i would think -

[hobie1dog]

its been two months since my first clinic visit - waiting on next clinic date for a demo chair - boulder - i decided i will demo one - and then decide - by the time i demo this chair - i bet another 2 to 3 months - then once i decide on this chair or another 646-

How do you get insurance to pay for a Boulder? I thought they were a Class 4 chair?

[expresso]

its been two months since my first clinic visit - waiting on next clinic date for a demo chair - boulder - i decided i will demo one - and then decide - by the time i demo this chair - i bet another 2 to 3 months - then once i decide on this chair or another 646-

How do you get insurance to pay for a Boulder? I thought they were a Class 4 chair?

they are group 4 chairs - so is my current 646se - which i got it paid also - its tricky and not certain all the time - i am with a managed care company for my homecare needs and DME stuff etc, - this company i am with - first off - takes care of Two chairs - or should i say two items - can be one power chair and one manual chair

they have more flex with using the medicaid funds - they can decide to pay for things which normally dont get paid for the normal way - all depends - and now also with cuts in the future - it may be harder to do - we see

the boulder chair was mentioned to another friend - therefore its a doable option - since the vendor said it as a choice in chair - when i went - i decided to mention also
i though it wont be covered either - and it still may not be covered - its not done deal yet -

but we left off - with another date for a demo - i may not even like it if i ever get to demo it - or i may and then decide to go with it and start the process

why its taking so long to get back to me with a clinic date - i dont know - weather is getting better - so i dont mind going and getting this over with

medicare wont pay for a group 4 no matter what - its medicaid that will be covering the difference - and its because of the company i am with - Reg. Medicaid wont pay either - what ever this company does - its working for us at least with the chairs - so i am not complaining -

but it is getting harder with the funds being cut - reason why i want to get this going already - before they decide to cut back and not pay for any group 4 chair -
thats my concern now -

[Gnomatic]

but it is getting harder with the funds being cut - reason why i want to get this going already - before they decide to cut back and not pay for any group 4 chair -
thats my concern now -

Not to turn this into a political thread, but for those in the States, have you seen the current healthcare bill being debated in congress? Should it become law, massive cuts coming to Medicaid in the future, one of the main programs that pays for chairs etc here for the disabled.

Expresso is right, get what you can while you still can.

[expresso]

yes that worries me also - if those cuts really end up that bad - will affect alot of us not only for chairs etc, but even our homecare service

now you making me want to call them tomorrow to put more pressure on getting the clinic date going - i just want to get it in process paper work etc, hopefully get the chair before the cuts start -

[CPguy]

This is all so sad. I just pay cash or via bank transfer upfront and send my insurance the invoice. The insurance refunds about 50 % to 80 % here and credits my account within 2 weeks. I use the remaining part as "disability related expenses" on my yearly income tax form which reduces the cost of a new wheelchair for me to 5 or 10 % of retail price. Also note that delivery is 4 to 6 weeks max. Easy.

[rlnguy]

yes that worries me also - if those cuts really end up that bad - will affect alot of us not only for chairs etc, but even our homecare service

now you making me want to call them tomorrow to put more pressure on getting the clinic date going - i just want to get it in process paper work etc, hopefully get the chair before the cuts start -

I don't usually get into the politics, but in addition to pushing the clinic/doctor/local provider, all users (whether you need a new chair right now, or not) in the U.S. should also be contacting their representatives and senators, and make their thoughts know.
If you don't, then shame on you.
If we, as taxpayers, voters and consumers don't speak up, how will they know how we feel?
Taking action BEFORE they pass anything is more important than protesting and complaining after it is passed.
just my 2 cents............

[expresso]

i agree and i have done that already - contacted them - but didnt mention chairs - etc, - more about protecting our Home Care Services

[hobie1dog]

Well, I guess Quickie is taking a lot longer than my salesperson told me it would take to build. Now they say the custom back is delaying things. Going on 8 months since placing the order.

[Burgerman]

That, is crazy.

[hobie1dog]

Talked to my rep today and my chair was ordered on March 13th. Now two months later Quickie is telling him that they are waiting on a supplier for a part that goes on the custom backrest. The normal build time is 3 weeks

He said they wouldn't give him a date for it to be completed.

[Burgerman]

Are you expected to crawl on elbows? What gives over there?

[wakarimasen]

Sounds like the delay problems noted in many posts are related to Medicare which does everything possible to avoid paying for powerchairs. This came about as a result of the numerous dealer scams and frauds in years past. I was denied twice because my applications had small, inconsequential errors. To make matters worse, it took six months to get a denial.
This is not the typical bureaucratic bungling and inefficiency in the U.S. Rather is is official policy in response to those massive frauds.


But hey! Burgerman, what can you expect from a government that is $20 trillion in hock and essentially bankrupt? And moreover Mr. Administrator, there is enough animosity, hatred and wars in this world without adding to them, so let's try to hold off on deliberately antagonizing each other with political crap and try to get along.

[steves1977uk]

I've e-mailed the local WCS last weekend and enquired why I still haven't heard nothing about the Salsa R2 I was assessed for over 2 years ago, no reply as of yet...

Steve

[wakarimasen]

I don't know whom some of you folks are dealing with and i have no personal experience buying powerchairs, but here is what most US dealers advertize regarding delivery: "Most travel, folding and standard power wheelchairs leave the warehouse within 1-3 business days. Custom chairs with non-standard seat sizes or other custom options can take from 1-2 weeks to arrive, depending on the manufacturer.

Many of them do not keep stock themselves but pass your order on to the manufacturer who then ships, OR, there are now a growing number of wharehousing and operations, which are called distribution centers, that do the stocking and shipping. They are a service paid for by the seller.

I glean this from reading the shipping tags and labels on stuff I receive. With all that "passing on" of information and orders, I am personally amazed that nearly all of my purchases arrive at the time specified. Only once in recent years has there been a screw up.

[hobie1dog]

Are you expected to crawl on elbows? What gives over there?

He was calling to offer me a Quantum chair instead of the Quickie, since the Quickie is taking so long, I declined his offer. I made it through 7 months Of Medicaid and other paperwork BS. Since I have my Invacare to use, I can wait till the Quickie gets here.

[expresso]

which quickie chair are you waiting for ?