I’m a lifelong power wheelchair user who lives in the Cincinnati, Ohio area, where there are only two vendors who specialize in complex custom wheelchairs for patients like me: Care Medical – a local independent vendor, and Numotion – a large national vendor. Both vendors are in network with Anthem, but only Numotion is in network with UnitedHealthcare. I would like to share in detail what a negative impact this change in health insurance has had on me and my healthcare.
When my employer offered health insurance through Anthem years ago, I used Care Medical for wheelchair services and repairs were always completed promptly. This has not been the case with UnitedHealthcare and Numotion. Back in early October I started the process to get seating adjustments on my wheelchair and replace a motor that was starting to fail. My Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM & R) doctor referred me to a wheelchair seating clinic, who arranged for a Numotion Assistive Technology Professional (ATP) to participate in a seating evaluation with one of the clinic’s Occupational Therapists (OT) on October 3rd. During that appointment they took notes and collectively decided what changes and parts were necessary for the proper fit and function of my wheelchair.
On October 30th I received an automated email from Numotion stating that they were still waiting for documentation from my clinician. This indicated to me that the repair order had not been fully submitted nearly a month after my seating evaluation. I immediately contacted the OT to ensure all paperwork was in order. I received another automated email from Numotion about missing documentation on November 9th. I discovered that Numotion had requested medical documentation from my primary care doctor, instead of the specialist who had referred me for the evaluation. Numotion received the parts in late November, and the service appointment is today – nearly three months after my evaluation appointment. When I tried calling Numotion’s local phone number to let the repair shop know that my mom would be a little late dropping off my chair, I was routed to a call center. The agent told me she would send a note after she tried to call the local repair shop and didn’t get an answer. When I asked for a direct number for the repair shop, she said there isn't one. When my mom arrived, she asked for a local phone number, and they confirmed that they do not have one.
I keep an old wheelchair around in case my current wheelchair needs repairs. It doesn’t fit me as well as my current chair, and I worry about how long it will last, but it works for now in a pinch. Many do not have that luxury and would have no choice but to wait for months without a functioning wheelchair. Care Medical employees have told me that they have tried to get in network with UnitedHealthcare for years without success. This situation has left me to rethink what I and others with disabilities should evaluate when considering an employer.
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