If you’re a senior over the age of 65 and in need of a wheelchair, you’ll want to know more about electric wheelchairs and Medicare, and the possibilities of Medicare helping you get one. In order to be eligible for Medicare, you must be 65 or older and be able to receive social security benefits monthly. Medicare coverage is free to individuals under the age of 65 who are disabled and who has either accumulated enough social security credits that Medicare will insure them or who has already received disability benefits from social security for 24 months as an employee, adult child of a retired or deceased worker, or as a surviving spouse.

If you plan to get an electric powered wheelchair with your coverage, there are then certain criteria you must meet in order to be covered on an electric wheelchair. Your physical condition must require the wheelchair for mobility purposes, and you must be an individual that would be unable to operate a manual wheelchair.

In order to use Medicare to purchase an electric wheelchair, you will also need to be considered able to operate the controls of an electric wheelchair. If you already own a manual wheelchair which was purchased with your Medicare coverage, than you need to return the chair to the company before claiming the cost of an electric wheelchair.

In order to use Medicare, it must be your primary insurance carrier. Finally, you may not have purchased a wheelchair or scooter using Medicare within the previous five years of applying for an electric wheelchair coverage.

If you meet all of the requirements for electric wheelchairs and Medicare, than Medicare will cover about 80% of the cost of your wheelchair. If you have secondary or supplemental insurance, it will cover the remaining 20% cost; otherwise, you will need to pay that portion out of your own pocket. The actual reimbursement amounts will vary depending on the state in which you reside.

Prior to submitting a claim, you should use the pre-approval form from Medicare in order to be sure you will receive the coverage you expect. In order to obtain financial support for your electric wheelchair with Medicare, you need to write out a description of your physical limitations as stated by your doctor as your reasons for needing the wheelchair, and have the doctor issue a specific request on letterhead with signature.

The only doctors who can request reimbursement for an electrical wheelchair are rehabilitation medicine specialists, orthopedic surgeons, neurologists, and rheumatologists.

There are even some sellers of electric wheelchairs who will work with Medicare users that are experiencing a financial hardship. Some companies will waive the remaining 20% cost of the chair when you purchase your electric wheelchair with Medicare, meaning you have no out of pocket expenses.

Reasons for needing an electric wheelchair vary, but the most common reasons include paralysis, weight, old age, weakened bones and muscles, or other illnesses that effect a persons physical condition. They are considered easy to use since they are controlled by a joystick, or in some cases, a mouth piece or foot pedal if the user has little or no mobility of their upper body. While a manual wheelchair is not likely to be able to turn all the way around in a circle in one spot, an electric wheelchair has this kind of tight maneuverability.

Hopefully this article has proven to help you discover the secrets of electric wheelchairs and Medicare. If you think are are eligible, speak with your doctor regarding the possibility of obtaining an electric wheelchair using your Medicare coverage.