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How Can You Get A Standing Wheelchair?

by — Last updated: 2015-11-01 in Healthy Living

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A doctor at the VA in Minneapolis has designed a new standing wheelchair, making life easier for paralyzed veterans and others who use wheelchairs in their daily lives.
There is a great deal more demand for standing wheelchairs than there are funds to pay for them. Several companies other than Dean Komen's iBOT have come out with their own versions of the electric standing wheelchair, but at costs ranging from about $4,500 to more than $30,000. 
 
Since most people who need standing wheelchairs are also disabled, it can be very hard to find the funds to buy the chair. However, that doesn't mean that it is completely impossible to get the chair. 
 
Here are some possible routes for funding.
  • Health insurance plans won't usually pay for devices that make your life easier, but they will pay for durable equipment that help to treat a disease. If you have pressure sores or urinary tract infections due to your use of a sitting wheelchair, or if you have had to had surgery for a "spastic release" of muscles that became permanently contracted while you were in a wheelchair, your insurance company may cover a standing wheelchair as part of your treatment.
  • Medicaid and Medicare may also pay for a standing wheelchair as part of medical treatment, although Medicaid benefits will vary from state to state.
  • If you became confined to a wheelchair as the result of an auto accident, either your insurance or the other driver's policy may pay for a standing wheelchair.
  • If you became confined to a wheelchair as the result of an on-the-job injury, worker's compensation may pay for the chair.
  • Community organizations and churches often do fund raising for medical equipment of this kind.
There are no guarantees, however, that you will get your standing wheelchair very quickly. Finding funds can be a long and frustrating process. That's why it is best to work with a company that will help you find ways to pay for their product; sometimes the only way you can get the wheelchair you need is to find a company that's in your corner.
 
What do you need to look for in a standing wheelchair?
  • Any device you buy in the US needs to be certified by the Healthcare Quality Association on Accreditation. As a practical matter, if you live in North America, you probably should buy a chair that is made in North America, so you can sure to be able to get parts and service. 
  • Make sure the chair is "upgradable" if you are buying the chair for a growing child or for an adult who has a diagnosis of progressive disease. An option to swap out motors if more power is needed can save your having to buy a second chair.
  • The chair should be foldable, fitting into your car.
  • Usually you will get better results from companies that specialize in standing wheelchairs and don't do anything else.

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There are people who are able to go back to playing golf when they get their standing wheelchairs. There are people who can go hunting, shoot pool, stand at kitchen counter or a stove, and decorate Christmas trees when they get their standing wheelchairs. Getting the chair you need with the funds you have usually is an arduous process, but a standing wheelchair can add immeasurable quality of life.

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