Hi everybody, On Labor Day weekend, last year, I found myself stuck at Walmart b/c my chair stopped. And, I was by myself. Thankfully, my roommate/attendant was at home & came to get me. A friend of mine worked, at the time, for National Seating & Mobility (NS&M) (great company, btw). So, he came over, assessed the problem, & set me on the journey of getting a new w/c. So, I set up an appt. w/my doc, he did all the crazy eval questions & everything was going along very smooth--just pain-stakingly-sloooow! After reading lots of your stories about the horrors of getting a new w/c, I couldn't believe how easy mine was going. But, I kept thinking, "where's MY problem going to be???"; "how's Medicare going to screw this up???"
Fast forward to mid-January, I get a letter from my doc saying he has to drop me, on Feb. 15 b/c of some ongoing battle w/Medicaid. I frantically make an appt. to go see him before this happens. We were in the long stretch home of getting my chair. We had already done like half of the listed requirements in this document... http://ncart.businesscatalyst.com/LiteratureRetrieve.aspx?ID=70774 ...my doc PROMISED me he'd follow through and sign all the necessary stuff so I didn't have to start over. Well, 2 weeks ago, I get a phone call from NS&M saying my doc wouldn't sign the FINAL FREAKIN' PAPER b/c he's no longer my doc!! I felt, defeated, deflated, and hopeless. Let me stop and say, I haven't gone anywhere by myself since Labor Day, last year b/c I'm afraid I'm going to get standed...it sucks. Nor, have I gotten a new doc b/c I can just hear Medicare saying something like, "why is this doc signing for a chair when he's not her doc?" I didn't want to give them any reason to back out. So, I was talking w/the lady at NS&M about all this. She said to start writing letters, gave me the names of all my politicians, and referred to our chairs as "complex rehab." I did some research on this and found a website explaining it all w/lots of good info. On the website, there's a suggested email that can be personalize to convey your concerns/request for signatures by our politicians. I'm including below a link. PLEASE take the time to read & send something to your politicians. TOGETHER, WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.... http://ncart.businesscatalyst.com/advocacy/what-is-complex-rehab-technology BTW, I love that doc. He's thorough, friendly, etc. It's not his fault that all this is happening. He was seeing me for over 1-1/2 years & paying $7 out-of-pocket, w/out me knowing anything was wrong. If it hadn't been for the loooong drawn out process, I would've had my chair & a new doc by now...... Thanks for reading, Lori
