#202739 - 07/22/12 10:29 PM
I am desperate please help
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aetnahell
Junior Member
Registered: 07/22/12
Posts: 6
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Please sign my petition to tell AETNA: STOP denying the disabled, sick, and those with genetic disorders the specialized wheelchairs they so desperately need: http://signon.org/sign/aetna-wheelchair-fraud. Please post this petition on your Facebook to spread the message so people know the truth about AETNA!
My AETNA wheelchair nightmare began in 2011, when a rare genetic disorder caused my hips, along with my other joints, to dislocate, creating inoperable tears. Since surgery on me is impossible, several top surgeons in the country from the Hospital for Special Surgery and Mt. Sinai prescribed me a wheelchair--a totally devastating reality for a 32 year old. Even though numerous prescriptions and letters from these top surgeons were sent to AETNA for my specialized wheelchair, AETNA has denied me my wheelchair for six months, and repeatedly engaged in recorded cases of insurance fraud to prevent me from obtaining the wheelchair ordered for me by the Wheelchair Clinic at the Hospital for Special Surgery.
Since I am unable to ambulate without a wheelchair, AETNA's illegal persistence in denying me the wheelchair to which I am entitled under my plan and the law has significantly impacted my daily functioning, and sadly led to subsequent unnecessary physical damage, for which I will now need to undergo surgery. The physical, emotional, and mental toll from this insurance nightmare has made my life unbearable.
Sadly, my wheelchair nightmare with AETNA is not unique. My surgical and wheelchair team at HSS said that AETNA is by far the worst insurance company for the disabled and sick who need wheelchairs. On average, it takes at least six months with AETNA--if one is lucky enough--to get the wheelchair they require, because AETNA tries every trick in the book to stall and deny the sick and disabled essential durable medical equipment. Needing a wheelchair at such a young age is hard enough, but AETNA's discrimination against the disabled and those with genetic disorders, combined with insurance fraud, adds major insult to injury.
Even though most of you reading this are not disabled, I too never thought I would be disabled and need a wheelchair. Unfortunately, this horrific ordeal can happen to anyone--and often does, especially with AETNA.
I am starting this petition to make as many people as possible aware of AETNA's practices towards the disabled, especially with regard to denying wheelchairs to those who need them the most.
I will also be filing a complaint about this with the New York Bureau of Insurance, and taking legal action. Thanks to my media contacts, I will also be sharing my AETNA-wheelchair- nightmare on the radio on NPR and in print soon with the NYTimes. Thank you so much for your signatures and support--it means the world!
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#202745 - 07/23/12 10:23 AM
Re: I am desperate please help
[Re: aetnahell]
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paradocs
Member
Registered: 11/20/04
Posts: 2323
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You have my sympathy. This is similar to the same garbage I had to wade through before I qualified for Medicare. If you can manage to qualify because of your disability, I suggest you do it. Medicare will probably be more cooperative.
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#202774 - 07/29/12 07:02 PM
Re: I am desperate please help
[Re: paradocs]
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soda
Member
Registered: 08/26/07
Posts: 4726
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two years after your disability is diagnosed, Medicare should have had kicked in (if you worked).
_________________________
 67.87.81.12
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#202814 - 08/07/12 01:09 PM
Re: I am desperate please help
[Re: soda]
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MobilityExpert
Junior Member
Registered: 08/07/12
Posts: 8
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I am so sorry to hear your troubles. Not much can really be said to ease your pain and heartache. Power chairs have always been extremely expensive without the help of insurance or medicare. Have you looked into what the cheapest power chairs on the market are? I think with some good research in the area you will be able to find a power chair that will fit your needs at a somewhat reasonable price. I'm going to look into it...
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#202815 - 08/07/12 01:27 PM
Re: I am desperate please help
[Re: MobilityExpert]
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MobilityExpert
Junior Member
Registered: 08/07/12
Posts: 8
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Also, I couldn't reach your petition page.
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#202836 - 08/14/12 12:22 PM
Re: I am desperate please help
[Re: MobilityExpert]
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crappieman
Junior Member
Registered: 02/10/12
Posts: 14
Loc: Conroe, Texas USA
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I understand your frustration and as you know insurance companies of any kind most likely are still in business because they deny most if not all claims and you have to appeal them several times till they know you won't go away. I personally have had to appeal Medicare several times as well as my insurance company but persistence usually pays off. Good luck and there are most likely as many disabled people here as able bodied people. You may be forced to buy a used one out of pocket to get your independence. I bought mine I am using because I didn't want to wait on insurance companies to finally get me one. Craigslist has some deals if you catch them quick.
_________________________
Every day is a gift so live it like it's your last!
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#202838 - 08/14/12 01:13 PM
Re: I am desperate please help
[Re: crappieman]
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MobilityExpert
Junior Member
Registered: 08/07/12
Posts: 8
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i sent a private message a while back in reply to this because i didn't think anybody was actually going to reread through this. good thing i put it on my watch list. Jazzy has released a new wheelchair called the Freedom that is really cheap. $1499 and it's basically the same as the Jazzy Elite 6 that sells for almost $4000. Check it out. Can't really get a better deal than that...
Jazzy Freedom Power Chair
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