Gaining My Freedom Back: Introducing the Price of Independence

I have officially ordered my new power wheelchair. The paperwork has been signed, sealed, and sent back to the company.

Due to all the chaotic craziness of my power chair becoming unreliable and then dying, I was advised to begin the process of purchasing a new power chair. I am so thankful that I began this process when I did as even though my power chair was eventually fixed, it has since died again. 

The process of receiving a power wheelchair can take as few as three months. In June, I had my "fitting" (where I am measured in every which way), so that my chair fits to my specifications. I also had an evaluation completed by a physical therapist to deem that a new chair was in fact medically necessary, and to hopefully persuade my insurance to cover the expenses of the power wheelchair. 

About a month ago, I learned that my insurance would cover the cost of the wheelchair, $45,000 (yes, you read that correctly); the pediatric growth kit, $3,850; the seat cushion, $525; tie downs, $800; and, the lateral supports, $220 each. However, this still leaves me with the copay, $3,500. My insurance also declared that they would not pay for the cup holder, $450 (yeah, you read that right too),  nor cover lights, $1,345 (and once again, you read that price correctly as well). 

The insurance not covering the cup holder makes complete since as it is not medically necessary, and I did not expect them to cover it. The lights may not be medically necessary either, but they are incredibly useful. At night, they light up dark sidewalks (and other pathways), which may not otherwise be clearly visible. People who travel via a wheelchair do not have the benefit of using their feet to guide their way in the dark, vision is incredibly important. It would also be dangerous and debilitating to drive off a sidewalk (as most chairs are not made for this). Lights not only increase the visibility for the person in the wheelchair, but of that person as well. Those of us in wheelchairs are on average lower to the ground which makes us less visible. I really believe lights to be a safety precaution (which I would think an insurance company would care about). 

I would love for my insurance company to pay for the lights, but they will not. However, I am more disgruntled by the fact that the lights come with the costly price tag of $1,345. They are just lights. Never the less, that is the price that was listed, so that is the price that my parents paid (so I can have lights). 

Medical equiptment is expensive, and typical things -- like lights -- that have become a part of the medical world, are just as expensive. They can be as there is not a cheaper competition, and most medical supplies are necessary (so people will spend the rediculous amounts of money). 

Now that the oodles of dollars, and my autographed paperwork has been sent off to the company, it could be as few as ten weeks until I receive my new power wheelchair. After dealing with an unreliable chair, and then being without my chair for so long, I am immensely looking forward to my new power wheelchair. The two months will be well worth the wait.