Medical Supply Companies, Medicaid, and the Madness: A Third Update of the Continued Debacle

Seven weeks.

Seven weeks have passed since my power chair died, and it is still not fixed.

When my chair died, I encountered a conflict with Bellvue Healthcare (BHC), my medical supply company (MSC). Two months prior to my chair dying, I knew something was wrong with my chair. I took my chair into BHC; they informed me that it was time for new batteries. However, after not receiving new batteries for two months, my chair died. When my chair died, I found out that the problem was not actually the batteries, but the joy stick cable. I waited two months for batteries, just to find out that the batteries were not the issue. And, this was just the tip of the iceberg.

Two Fridays ago -- five weeks after my chair had died -- I received a call from BHC informing me that my chair would finally be ready to pick up the following Tuesday; I was so excited! I waited those four days with great anticipation, just to get a call saying that yes, my chair was ready to be picked up, BUT that the wrong joy stick had been delivered. I was told that I could use this joy stick until the correct one arrived, but that this loaner joy stick would solely turn on/off and drive my chair but would not operate the rest of the features on my chair. After waiting so long, I desperately desired to instantly go pick up my chair. However, after seeking council, my mind had been swayed, as I had determined that I needed to continue waiting to pick up my chair.

Here's the thing, if I picked up my chair with the wrong joy stick, BHC would no longer be obligated to do anything; they would have "fixed" my chair, and that would be that; I would never receive the correct joy stick, and I would be stuck with the one that was sent instead.

When the joy stick was ordered, someone made a mistake; either BHC filled out the order form incorrectly, or the distribution company misread the order form and sent the wrong joy stick. I will never know who made this mistake, and I do not need to know. All I want is for whoever made this mistake to fix the problem in a timely manner.

Another week has passed since the disappointing phone call. I have waited almost four months for my power chair to be fixed -- two months for batteries, and then seven more weeks for the joy stick -- and it will probably be another two to five weeks until the correct joy stick arrives. Until then, I will be waiting for my freedom to be returned to me, but still living my life, everyday.