Check your local Area Agency on Aging. They usually have a medical supply closet of stuff that people have donated.
Do you have a Council On Aging or similar organization within your local government? My local CoA lends out wheelchairs and other similar equipment.
Hello. Your insurance should have a website where you can find who is in-network with your plan, then you call them and they can verify what wheelchairs, if any, are covered. Then the pharmacy or DME company gets the pre-authorization electronically.
@Kumi
You could try to get a knee scooter since they have not restricted him from bearing weight on one of his ankles.
If the doctor prescribes one, you may get a limited-term rental. If not, any cost is on you.
Contact local churches. We have a couple that loan equipment.
Churches. There are churches in the Hampton Roads area that have a “DME pantry” type of thing. People donate wheelchairs, walkers, oxygen carts, etc., and the church gives them away to those in need.
Thrift store, senior services or agency on aging, or medical equipment store.
Nextdoor is a great idea too.
Our local fire department/EMS have loaners that were donated to them from residents no longer needing them. You may want to check there if you have a fire department/EMS station near you.
If he is by slim chance a veteran or maybe even related, the local VFW or American Legion has resources.
Call around Goodwill or Habitat for Humanity or Salvation Army for cheap wheelchairs.
If there are Freecycle, Buy Nothing pages, etc., look there.
Google ‘nurses closet your town,’ or ‘nurses closet your county or township.’ Many have medical equipment that you can borrow for a couple months for free.
Try looking on findhelp.org and seeing if someone in your area has a lending closet for DME, some charities will do that.
Goodwill, or a lot of times local churches will let you borrow one.
Do you have a volunteer ambulance corps? They’ll rent or lend out wheelchairs and crutches.
Been through this.
-
Most orthos have a couple of wheelchairs, but sometimes they have more than one patient who needs them.
-
Churches and synagogues often have wheelchairs you can borrow and return for free. Call around.
-
Sounds like you’ll need to rent a wheelchair rather than purchase one (his situation sounds temporary). Look through your list of network providers under DME (durable medical equipment) or HHC (home health care). Contact them and see if they can help get a wheelchair for him to use for a month or two.
https://www.vats.virginia.gov/ATrecycling.htm
https://disabilitynavigator.org/program/14340/medical-equipment-loan-closet
Your insurance should pay for it. But if it doesn’t—write them a check and then cancel it. You can do this. It takes two days for a check to clear.