Need info on wheelchair battery replacement
Posted: Tue Aug 04, 2009 4:38 pm
Bottom line: I want to know if regular repair shops exist for wheelchairs/batteries. How would I find a local shop? (What do I google for, who do I ask?)
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My sister with MS uses an Invacare M50 (or 51) electric wheelchair she got 3 years ago from the same company she always uses, paid 20% and Medicare paid the rest.
Now the battery is dead and since she has switched to a HMO from Medicare, they say they'll come help her as follows: she pays them $400 CASH (not even debit card), they give her a loaner and take the chair to their shop which is about 2 hours away, and will replace battery and bring it back.
Smells fishy to me. I realize batteries cost $160 online and there is travel time and gasoline to consider, but what's with the CASH?
We don't even know how to look for a shop closer to her home, which is a suburb of a metropolitan area, not in the boonies.
Thank you. She is very upset and I'm getting there myself (I live far away from her).
~~~~~
My sister with MS uses an Invacare M50 (or 51) electric wheelchair she got 3 years ago from the same company she always uses, paid 20% and Medicare paid the rest.
Now the battery is dead and since she has switched to a HMO from Medicare, they say they'll come help her as follows: she pays them $400 CASH (not even debit card), they give her a loaner and take the chair to their shop which is about 2 hours away, and will replace battery and bring it back.
Smells fishy to me. I realize batteries cost $160 online and there is travel time and gasoline to consider, but what's with the CASH?
We don't even know how to look for a shop closer to her home, which is a suburb of a metropolitan area, not in the boonies.
Thank you. She is very upset and I'm getting there myself (I live far away from her).