Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Get a Mobility Scooter at Little to No Cost

By Brian Kleiner

Do you suffer from upper body weakness that inhibits manual wheelchair use? Is your lifestyle limited by your ability to do every day activities on your own? A mobility scooter may be the answer to newfound independence.

Your doctor must write you a prescription and explain to Medicare why a scooter is necessary. If you regularly visit a neurologist, rheumatologist, orthopedic surgeon or physical medicine physician, you may ask your doctor to evaluate you for a mobility scooter prescription.

To obtain a prescription for a Medicare scooter, you must regularly visit a neurologist, orthopedic surgeon, rheumatologist or doctor of physical medicine. Your doctor is required to explain to Medicare why a mobility scooter is medically necessary for you. Using a scooter outside the home or purely for leisure is not adequate for Medicare to approve coverage. You must need the scooter for in-home mobility to qualify.

If purchasing a mobility scooter is not financially feasible, Medicare will provide coverage for mobility scooter rentals. In either situation, you will save the most money by using a Medicare approved supplier. Participating suppliers accept assignment; meaning they will accept the Medicare approved amount for the scooter. The supplier is responsible for filing all the paperwork with Medicare and Medicare will issue the payment directly to them. When renting an electric scooter, Medicare will issue up to 15 monthly payments to the supplier and you may keep the scooter for as long as you need it. You do have the option of purchasing the scooter after 12 monthly payments have been made. You will receive a letter giving you the option to purchase and have 30 days to respond.

Non-participating electric mobility scooter suppliers may not accept assignment from Medicare, even if they accept Medicare. They may charge more since they have not agreed to the sale at the price Medicare pays. Medicare will pay them the designated amount for the scooter, but the overage will be your responsibility. So, if you want to save money, your best bet is to make sure you order from a participating supplier.

Mobility scooters are battery operated and come in 3 and 4-wheel versions. They are easy to operate and disassemble for storage or transport. Many come with options for a basket, walker or cane storage, or oxygen tank storage.

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