Whether you always knew you’d need to look into mobility equipment for your child, or the reality started to take shape only as your child got bigger and heavier, dealing with the journey of getting that equipment can seem daunting.
It’s hard enough to come to terms with the fact that it’s time to move on from the discreet baby stroller… You shouldn’t also have to be overwhelmed by the technicalities. Read on to learn more about the process in plain words!
Getting Equipment Through EI
Is your child under the age of 3?
Hopefully, you are already making use of EI services! One great thing about EI in New York is that you can get your mobility equipment through them. They will try to get your insurance to cover the equipment, but if insurance refuses to cover it, EI will pick up the tab. Try and chap arein before your child ages out of EI!
Your child’s PT or OT can recommend what kind of equipment would be useful, like a stroller, wheelchair, or even a walker or stander. They will have to fill out a specific form from EI as justification. EI will also need a prescription from your child’s doctor.
Once the paperwork has been submitted to your EI service coordinator, a vendor will come down to your home, generally together with your PT, to take your child’s measurements and determine which model of equipment would be the best fit.
Now comes the annoying part — trying to tell insurance that this equipment is medically necessary. Insurance will ask many questions, often even questions which were already answered in the justification form from EI. The questions will have to be answered and sent back. Your PT and EI service coordinator can help you with this process.
Once insurance agrees to cover it (or doesn’t, and EI covers it instead), the equipment will be delivered. Make sure your PT is on hand to help you see if the equipment fits right or if any adjustments need to be made.
Getting Equipment Through Insurance
If your child is over age 3, has outgrown their equipment, or needs something new to suit their mobility needs, you’ll probably have to go the insurance route.
Insurance generally will only pay for a new wheelchair once every 5 years. And just a heads up: insurance considers a wheelchair and a medical stroller to be the same thing, and as such will only cover either one or the other.
The process of getting equipment through insurance can be long, often taking about 6 months.
The typical first step is to take your child to a wheelchair clinic. You’ll probably want to speak to your child’s PT to get an idea of what kind of equipment to consider before going down to the clinic, as the therapists at the clinic don’t know your child.
You do not need to bring your own justification/Letter of Medical Necessity or prescription to the clinic — they will take care of everything technical. They will evaluate and measure your child. Once the equipment is ready, go back down to the clinic to make sure the equipment fits right and take care of any adjustments which need to be made.
You can reach out to Ezreinu at 718-750-1010 for a wheelchair clinic referral.
Sooo... What's better, a wheelchair or a stroller?
There are maalos and chesronos to both options; the one you go with should be the one that’s better for your child and your lifestyle.
Here are some factors to consider when making your decision:
It’s not uncommon for a child to really need both a wheelchair and a stroller, or to need something different than the original equipment which they got a few years back.
Because insurance will only cover a new wheelchair once every 5 years, families will sometimes choose to turn to a foundation to get a new piece of equipment covered.
We’ve heard that families have had success obtaining mobility equipment through the Wheelchairs 4 Kids grant.
Short-term Solutions
If your child outgrew their current equipment or you are waiting on insurance’s approval, and meanwhile you have no way to get your child around comfortably, don’t despair — we are lucky to be part of a nation which is rich in all sorts of gemachim, many of which have basic wheelchairs available for loan!
Local gemachim which can provide pediatric wheelchairs:
Boro Park
Yachad of Bobov
718-851-2500
Chasdei Yona
718-755-0920
Williamsburg
Ackerman
718-388-3079
Five Towns
Achiezer
516-791-4444
Monsey
RocheLev (Aviva Berkowitz)
845-327-7280
This is just a small sampling – Baruch Hashem there are too many gemachim to list!
Call Ezreinu for more resources at 718-750-1010.
Alternative Mobility Ideas
Despite their limitations, so many of our kids love to move around freely and explore. Parents shared different creative ideas with us for helping their children with physical disabilities move around comfortably indoors.
One great option is the GoBro, a kind of toddler-sized wheelchair which looks more like a fun riding toy than a piece of medical equipment. The GoBro brings the child down to the floor level, allowing them to reach toys and interact with peers.
A nice plus is that it’s partially sponsored by the Frog Foundation, so you don’t need to shell out too much for it.
Shoshana’s mother was searching high and low for a pediatrician who understands children with special needs, but the only option she knew of wouldn’t accept her insurance. Ezreinu connected her with a doctor who is fantastic with children with special needs… And accepted her insurance without a problem. ⬛
Tzviki is a cute 4-year-old boy with special needs who has a loving DSP. His DSP couldn’t easily access the system which his agency used to bill, and he just couldn’t continue servicing Tzviki like that. Ezreinu helped the family switch to a different agency with a billing system that worked for the DSP, so Tzviki wouldn’t have to lose out. ⬛
Identifying details have been changed to protect client confidentiality.
