Medicare’s Competitive
Bidding has now been in effect for
several months, and many people with Medicare have found themselves affected.
You may be one of them.
If your Medicare benefits have
been capped (after 13 months) and you live in any of the many markets that are now participating in
Medicare's Competitive Bidding then
there is a chance that your provider may not be able to continue servicing you.
If they did not win a Medicare contract, they may no longer be your
provider. Markets are in the Northeast,
Midwest, South and West and include such greater metro areas as New York,
Houston, Miami, Orlando, Las Vegas, Salt Lake City, St. Louis, New Orleans,
Tucson, Atlanta and San Francisco. You can
check your suppliers at Medicare.gov
to find out who your local providers are.
If you are one of the many
Medicare patients affected and using your benefits for CPAP equipment, supplies
and services, Open-Aire would like to help you. Please visit our newest site in
the Lincare family, www.LincareCPAP.com.
Lincare offers Medicare covered
CPAP machines, masks and supplies from the top brands, ResMed,
Respironics, DeVibliss, Fisher & Paykel and more. Lincare is a
contracted Medicare Provider for CPAP equipment, supplies and services for all
markets excluding four locations, Baton
Rouge; LA, Honolulu; HI, Poughkeepsie-Newburgh-Middletown; NY and
Scranton-Wilkes-Barre; PA.
Gertrude Gray of Festus, MO had been in a manual wheelchair for 5 years. Chemotherapy had left her with damaged bones in her foot, and a bad fall broke one of her legs above and below the knee. All of the trauma had made it difficult to walk without the help of a walker and most of the time she had to use a wheelchair. So many years in the wheelchair came with new problems. "My arms just got worn out with that old wheelchair," says Gertrude. Her osteoarthritis, along with tendonitis in her elbow, had gotten so bad that her doctor wanted her to use her left arm as little as possible. Just getting around the house was getting harder and harder.
Fortunately last month when she discovered Open-Aire Mobility Division, a solution was offered in the form of a power wheelchair. Still she was nervous about getting her hopes up. "Medicare can be hard to work with, and I didn’t want to raise my hopes too high," she says. However her Open-Aire case manager was able to work with her doctor and Medicare and in just over a month she received her new power wheelchair.
Now Gertrude is able to get around the house without trouble, and without straining her arms as she did with her old manual wheelchair. Her family is also very impressed with her new power wheelchair. "All my grandkids think it’s cool. They see me in it and think grandma moved uptown!"
While Ann Marie Shea and her husband Paul await Handicap Housing, a hotel room in Boston, Massachusetts has become their 'home' during this transitional period. Paul has always been there for Ann Marie, being married for 13 years and having a son has created a special bond that can’t be broken, especially by mobility issues. From their first date, Paul knew Ann was going to be his wife and has cherished her ever since. Twelve years ago, Ann Marie was diagnosed with a muscle disease which left her weak, with progressive numbness in her legs. Ann often found herself falling and having emergency hospital visits due to serious injury. She began using a cane for support, but over time, the walking cane didn’t provide her with enough support. Paul and Ann decided to give a walker a try. It helped for a temporary amount of time, but Ann couldn’t get up stairs, and made walking in the home extremely difficult. Paul and Anne Marie kept searching to find the perfect means of mobility to fit their lifestyle. A wheelchair was their next effort. When the Sheas’ got approved for handicapped housing, it was a huge relief. Maneuvering her wheelchair around in a standard apartment was getting tight. Ann Marie began cooking less, and doing less chores and activities around the house. Paul helped out as much as he can during that time, preparing his 'mean meatloaf' turned into quite a delicious family happening.
One day while watching TV, Ann noticed a power chair commercial that included testimonials. Ann checked to see if a power chair was covered by her insurance, Medicare. It was! They immediately called to get more information, and order that power chair! The delivery of Ann's new power chair made this transitional period in a hotel easier to handle. Now Ann can go do laundry, move about her hotel room, cook in the kitchen, go to the store with Paul, and get back to her previous involvements. She feels more independent and free since she doesn’t have to rely on Paul so much anymore. What are Paul and Ann Marie doing this weekend? They are always up to something. . .this weekend they are going to see their favorite movie, The Fast Five! Check back with Team Mobility to see how the Sheas are doing in their new power chair, and their new house!
