For many American's, the electric wheelchair is a lifesaver.  For these American's, normal wheelchairs are no good - five minutes of use will tire someone with a muscle deficiency, hills are impossible, and for those who are  obese, simple movement becomes difficult.  An electric wheelchair changes all that; gone are the shackles that bind, replaced with feelings of freedom and relief as they regain their lost mobility.  However, electric wheelchairs aren't cheap - they start at $1,500 and can run upwards of $5,000!  This is an impossible financial burden for many, but if you're on medicare there is some hope.

Medicare will cover up to 80% of the cost of an electric wheelchair as long as the user meets the following set of guidelines:

* The user has difficulty/inability walking on their own
* User must suffer from severe weakness in their upper body, generally caused by muscle, brain, or spinal condition.  Weakness must render user unable to use a manual wheelchair
* When the user is not in the wheelchair, the user is most likely either in bed or in a chair
* There must be at least one in-household task that the user cannot do without the assistance of an electric wheelchair.  These tasks can be as simple as going to the bathroom.
* Finally, the user must be able to operate the manual controls of the wheelchair
* Medicare must be the primary insurance


All "durable medical devices", as they are called, need to be prescribed as part of a treatment plan by your physician.  In addition, the physician will need to submit a written report detailing why the user needs an electric wheelchair over other alternatives (like a manual wheelchair).  Because the guidelines are so strict, it is generally recommended that you do not purchase an electric wheelchair until you get it in writing from your physician.

If medicare is not the primary insurance carrier, you would need to first file a claim with your primary insurance carrier.  If the primary insurance will not cover the entire amount, you would then file a secondary claim with medicare for the difference.  If medicare is not your primary insurance carrier, then you should contact your primary insurance carrier first and understand exactly what they will and won't cover.

Thanks to medicare's generous electric wheelchair coverage, millions of Americans are able to afford an electric wheelchair.  Without it, these folks would be trapped by their limited mobility.  If you need an electric wheelchair, don't feel trapped - help is out there.