Impact on Mobility – Equipment Repair

Whether you buy a lawn mower or auto or smart phone, equipment failure can stop you in your tracks and in the case of a wheelchair, this is not just a figure of speech!

Wheelchair repair may not personally impact you but you may know someone to whom this is critically relevant.

I received the following today, 8 May 2014, in an email from Monica Aden, Senior Manager, NMSS Connection Programs:

“Wheelchair repair is essential to many peoples’ mobility, independence, and ability to contribute to and participate in society. There’s concern that Medicare policies are restricting access to wheelchair repair services. If you’re a Medicare beneficiary who has experienced difficulty getting your wheelchair repaired, please help us better understand this issue by completing a short survey [https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/wheelchair-repair].

We ask that you share this email with your group members, peers and others in your network of support. The survey has been reviewed and approved by Society staff. The timeline for feedback is very tight — the survey closes early next week — so time is of the essence. Thank you in advance for sharing this with others. It is important that we hear from those impacted.”

I also find it important that “Medicare will only help pay for these equipment and supplies if they’re [sic] provided by contract suppliers.”  See http://www.medicare.gov/coverage/wheelchairs.html