Private Insurance Can Help Pay for Electric Wheelchairs and Scooters
Private insurance can play an important role in financing your new mobility scooter or electric wheelchair. When combined with Medicare, private insurance may allow you to purchase a mobility product at virtually no cost. And on the rare occasion Medicare denies coverage, insurance can still greatly relieve any financial burden. The most important part of successfully utilizing private insurance is knowing how to communicate with your provider and meet their documentation requirements. To accomplish this goal, the help of a knowledgeable insurance specialist can be invaluable. Many large electric wheelchair and mobility scooter retailers have departments dedicated to handling private insurance. These insurance liaisons can often guide you through the filing process for free, potentially saving you untold hours of phone calls and frustration.
Determining Your Eligibility for Private Insurance Assistance
Whether or not your private insurance can help pay for a mobility product depends on your policy. Some policies state that claims cannot be made for wheelchairs or other durable medical equipment, although such stringency is unusual. Most insurance providers actually want to help eligible clients receive mobility assistance because it’s in their own best interest. Mobility devices can create huge reductions in insurance costs over time. For example, electric wheelchairs may eliminate the need for expensive home care assistance. Mobility scooters have also been known to reduce falls and other movement related injuries. Insurance companies know this and will generally do their best to help clients receive mobility products.
How companies determine whether or not clients require electric mobility assistance can vary considerably. Most companies are content with standard mobility exams, while others require detailed letters from pre-selected physical therapists. Standards of coverage can also differ, with some companies only covering indoor mobility devices, while others also cover outdoor products. Whatever your insurance provider’s policies, they should be clearly stated in the company’s clinical guidelines. If you have trouble finding or understanding these guidelines, your scooter retailer’s insurance liaison should be able to help.
As complicated as the insurance process can seem, it’s really more straightforward than it appears. As long as you and your doctor can demonstrate sufficient need, there’s a strong chance you’ll get help paying for your mobility device. If you do run into any trouble, try not to worry too much. Your retailer will be able to tell you about additional payment options, one of which might enable you to still afford that new electric wheelchair or mobility scooter.
