by Sully » 26 Apr 2016, 16:58
Well I'm batting 0% You are a Calif. gal Not a Brit, oh well!
You have a tough road ahead to get Medicare to approve some independent manufacturer/inventor, who hasn't spent the equal of the National Debt, trying to achieve approval to sell what is called "Durable Medical Equipment" process. Unfortunately, there have been fly by night guys who have already abused this industry, the same as any nefarious jerks that can find a way to make a short, and quick buck, screwing the public and thus the government intervention. Since the govt's have a stake in medical equipment "they" support with money's in their "Trust". So...I do get it.
Now since I still seem to have a poor guessing average, my guess they will keep the same process in place, for a long time to come. And we who are not "quite" pleased with the standard production models available will have to foot our own bills for, the close to exact, chairs we think we want, or do it ourselves.
So my advice to anyone who is planning to get into such a venture just try to read the whole of the pages of this Site; WheelChairDriver, you will get an idea of what John Williamson has put into the things he does, and how this site can be so valuable to Wheeler's from all over this world. If y'all bother it may well give you a different perspective on many items that gets spoken about in the forum.
If y'all do that, then sit beck and ask yourself if John had never had that horrific accident, would he ever have given a thought to any of this? MY answer would be a definite "NO". Even though many of the things would have been randomly created but very likely never gathered together in such a way as it is here. And also with some outstanding contributors.
The sad part is the ideas found here have been slow to be included into the commercialized models made by "Approved" manufacturers products. Now this is not saying that John's BM-1 or BM-2 were perfect for "every wheel chair user" He is now creating his BM-3 model and likely continue to reinvent another and another until he gives it up. A perfectionist is never truly content with what he does.
So, SydRae, you can see your options, for today and into the future. Perhaps you can become and advocate for some kind of change in the "Durable Medical Equipment" business or maybe just Powered wheel chairs, I hope your youth bring with it the energy to make change. Good Luck