Probe: Medicare Paid Billions in Suspect Claims Sep 25, 2008
The panel's review of millions of claims submitted by sellers of wheelchairs, drugs and other medical supplies on behalf of Medicare patients from 2001 to 2006 found at least $1 billion in which the listed diagnosis code appeared to have little, if any, connection to the reimbursed medical item ... Other questionable claims included wheelchairs or whee. (Fox News)
Time to shine: Paralympic gold medalist given hero's welcome Sep 25, 2008
Led by a Marblehead fire engine, the parade, which also included bagpiper Julie Hahnke, members of Glover s Marblehead Regiment and Dana Tucker s Girl Scout troop carrying the sail emblazoned with the American flag that carried McKinnon-Tucker and teammate Nick Scandone to victory, slowly proceeded to Fort Sewall, passing flag-waving fans several in wheelchairs along the way. Hahnke, who with Tishey Noiseux whipped together the celebration in short order, just a day and a half after... (Marblehead Reporter, MA)
Looking Back Sep 25, 2008
Pleasantview Pleasantview is fortunate to have two vans which are used extensively throughout the year by all departments A 1975 Dodge van is equipped with a lift and accommodates three residents with wheelchairs comfortably. A 1984 Chevrolet vans seats 12. (Kalona News, IA)
Shoes for amputees? Medicare waste revealed Sep 24, 2008
The panel's review of millions of claims submitted by sellers of wheelchairs, drugs and other medical supplies on behalf of Medicare patients from 2001 to 2006 found at least $1 billion in which the listed diagnosis code appeared to have little, if any, connection to the reimbursed medical item ... Wheelchair for sprained wristOther questionable claims included wheelchairs or wheelchair accessories for patients listed as having a deformed nose or sprained wrist; special shoes for diabetics or... (MSNBC -- Race)
Communities need to be more pedestrian friendly Sep 24, 2008
Some participants sat in wheelchairs in an effort to see possible obstacles for disabled individuals. Burden has done similar assessments across the United States and Canada and made recommendations for each of the communities, based on his walks. (Iosco County News Herald, MI)
Western Iowa Veterans visit DC memorial, other sites Sep 24, 2008
According to Gill, several of the veterans attending the trip were handicapped and needed special accommodations for wheelchairs and walkers. He said the event organizers had thought of everything and were very considerate of those in need of accommodations. (Atlantic News-Telegraph, IO)
March Of The Penguins Comes To Children's Hospital Sep 24, 2008
The children also walked a short route through the hospital, many of them in wheelchairs or hooked up to IV's. "It's a wonderful diversion to get the kids' minds off their medical care and some of the tests and procedures they go through," said hospital spokesperson. (NBCSandiego.com, CA)
COLUMN: IDOT must have picked color for my 'Friend' t-shirt Sep 23, 2008
The Olympians come in wheelchairs, they walk, they re old, they re young, they re somewhere in between. And they ve all got distinct personalities. (Mattoon Journal-Gazette, IL)
Los Angeles Jury Convicts Defendant of Fraud Involving More Than $1.1 Million in False Billing to Medicare Sep 23, 2008
Evidence at trial revealed that nearly all of these bills were for medically unnecessary motorized wheelchairs and wheelchair accessories ... According to evidence presented during the trial, Nwafor billed Medicare for motorized wheelchairs on behalf of more than 170 beneficiaries, none of whom needed the wheelchairs for which Pacific City billed Medicare ... She testified that an individual purporting to be from Medicare, but who was actually revealed to be associated with the defendant,... (PR Newswire)
Monthly Medicare premiums won't rise for 2009 Sep 23, 2008
The monthly premium for Medicare Part B covers a portion of the costs for physician services, home health and the purchase of certain medical equipment, such as wheelchairs and oxygen machines. The deductible for those services will also hold steady next year at $135. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Health)
Yankee Stadium — going, going, gone! Sep 23, 2008
Those who could not walk were pushed along in wheelchairs. Parents brought strollers to make sure toddlers got to experience the great ballpark before it is dismantled. (Columbia Daily Herald, TN)
Pharmacist with a heart Sep 22, 2008
That idea came from customers' constant inquiries into walkers and wheelchairs and hospital beds ... The company handles everything from power lifts to braces, canes and power wheelchairs. (The Augusta Chronicle)
LETTERS: NCT, Sept. 21, 2008 Sep 22, 2008
HotJobs Local Search. Palin insults community organizers. (North County Times)
'Independence Day' at Great Plains Sep 22, 2008
Inspections of wheelchairs, seating systems and vehicle lifts. Demonstrations on new technology, including stair lifts, power chairs and more. (Bismarck Tribune, ND)
Lions host meeting for Canines for Combat Veterans Sep 21, 2008
These dual trained dogs will serve as walker/balance dogs when the veterans are ambulatory and walking with their prosthetics - providing balance while walking, going up and down stairs, and getting up from a sitting or fallen position and act as service dogs when the veterans remove their prosthetics and transfer to a wheelchair - assisting by picking up things that drop, retrieving items from a distance, pulling manual wheelchairs a short distance, turning lights on and off. It takes about 18... (Medfield Press, MA)
Death toll from blast rises Sep 21, 2008
Some of the injured foreigners with their wounds bandaged were taken out in wheelchairs. This document was originally published online on Sunday, September 21, 2008. (Pocatello Idaho State Journal, ID)
Special-Needs Victims Get Needed Equipment Sep 21, 2008
The Florida Red Cross donated two tractor-trailers, which hauled wheelchairs, crutches and walkers, which were donated from Florida, and cash came flowing from South Carolina ... The people down at the George R. Brown said that they were in desperate need for wheelchairs and for walkers and for canes And thats the majority of the equipment that we have brought in, said Nowinski ... Walkers, wheelchairs and power cords for electric wheelchairs will be available by calling the mayors office at... (Click2Houston, TX)
18 arrested in alleged $33-million Medicare fraud schemes Sep 20, 2008
Reputed scams involved fraudulent ordering of power wheelchairs, hospital beds, feeding kits and shoes for diabetics ... Federal and state investigators fanned out across the Southland early Thursday, arresting 18 people allegedly engaged in various schemes involving the fraudulent ordering of power wheelchairs, hospital beds, feeding kits and specialized shoes for diabetics ... 3 million worth of motorized wheelchairs -- about 2,400 of them -- that were not truly needed by patients. (Los Angeles Times)
Evacuee wristbands have Steiner Ranch connection Sep 20, 2008
Other issues were that people would get separated from their wheelchairs or oxygen tanks. There were also cases of stolen animals in Rita's aftermath including one case where someone with false documents drove off with a trailer full of thoroughbred horses, Ratton said. (Cedar Park Hill Country News Weekender, TX)
Medicare Strike Force Indicts 18 Los Angeles Area Residents For Health Care Related Fraud Sep 19, 2008
The eight indictments in which the defendants are charged outline various types of fraud including schemes involving the fraudulent ordering of power wheelchairs, orthotics, hospital beds, enteral nutrition and feeding supplies ... 3 million in Medicare claims for medically unnecessary power wheelchairs between April 2007 and June 2008 from medical clinics they owned in Los Angeles and Van Nuys ... 9 million in fraudulent claims to Medicare for orthotic devices, motorized wheelchairs, hospital... (PR Newswire)
18 arrested for alleged $33-million SoCal fraud Sep 19, 2008
Eight federal indictments allege they submitted bills to Medicare for unnecessary medical equipment, including motorized wheelchairs and hospital beds. The charges include submitting false claims and conspiracy to commit health care fraud. (San Francisco Chronicle -- Crime)
Golf Cart ordinance based on "situations" to be considered Sep 19, 2008
Last month the council decided not to make changes to a city ordinance that would have allowed individuals with health problems drive modified golf carts on city streets after agreeing that he carts on city streets might cause more problems and that an alternative solution was available in the form of motorized wheelchairs ... He added the wheelchairs were not as easy to get as the council had suggested previously, due to Medicade and Medicare reimbursements in Iowa. (Atlantic News-Telegraph, IO)
Why games matter Sep 19, 2008
They did not count on adults who are bound to wheelchairs finding a virtual freedom like never before through their little game. They did not count on children battling cancer having 1,000s of people worldwide offering support, friendship, and laughter through their marketing mechanism. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Technology)
Quadriplegic driving disability empowerment campus Sep 19, 2008
The athletes use wheelchairs fitted with extra metal bars, and they often crash into each other as they compete to get the ball down the court. Pangrazio played for about 18 years. (Phoenix Business Journal, AZ)
Federal agents bust Medicare fraud schemes Sep 19, 2008
The suspects were allegedly engaged in 33-million-dollar various schemes involving the fraudulent ordering of power wheelchairs, hospital beds, feeding kits and specialized shoes for diabetics, according to the Justice Department. Clinic owners and medical professionals were among those arrested, the department said. (Xinhuanet, China)
Designer of Palin's glasses grateful for publicity Sep 18, 2008
Kawasaki, 59, an engineering professor at Osaka University, also designs arty syringes, artificial hearts, kitchen sponges and wheelchairs including the one he uses because of a traffic accident 30 years ago. The award-winning designer also has contributed to the permanent collection at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- World)
President Bush Attends Iftaar Dinner Sep 18, 2008
Last month, the good professor and his team of researchers at Georgia Tech unveiled an incredible invention that could one day help people with severe disabilities operate wheelchairs and surf the Internet by simply moving their tongue. Through this pioneering research, this good professor has brought new hope to thousands. (White House News Releases)
Disaster database focuses on disabled Sep 17, 2008
When disaster strikes, dispatchers and emergency responders simply highlight a general area of the city and locate their focus population, which includes residents who depend on oxygen tanks and those requiring wheelchairs. "During the first few hours after a disaster, emergency units are overwhelmed, leaving neighborhoods to care for themselves until emergency units can respond," Pool said. (AZCentral)
Vice presidential candidate makes campaign appearance at high school Sep 17, 2008
The audience ran the gamut, from the young-at-heart in wheelchairs to youngsters like 6-year-old Cole Reynolds of Flat Rock, who held tight to his father's hand walking to the stadium, saying, "I'm so excited.". His dad, Jon, said Cole actually thought he was coming to see the Democratic presidential nominee, U.S. Sen. (The News-Herald)
Area residents take the big walk Sep 17, 2008
" Some walkers pushed baby strollers or carried toddlers on their shoulders, she said, while others helped with wheelchairs or used canes and walking sticks to make their way across the span. "The pace was your own," Massengill said. "No hurry, no rush. Just get to the other side. (The News-Herald)
Curtain falls on Beijing Sep 17, 2008
Ahead of the event, authorities made Beijing more friendly for disabled people by, for example, setting up the country's first fleet of easy-access taxis and making tourist spots such as the Great Wall accessible to wheelchairs. Equal importance. (iAfrica.com)
Fire Breaks Out at Manor Care Sep 17, 2008
In addition to extinguishing the fires, fire, rescue and police personnel assisted the nursing home staff in evacuating 109 of the nursing home's patients, all either confined to beds or wheelchairs. Two sprinkler heads in the patient's room activated as a result of the fires. (The Pilot Newspaper)
Pope reasserts stance on euthanasia Sep 16, 2008
In the crowd, many pilgrims in wheelchairs and on gurneys were bundled in quilts against the chill. In his homily, the pope said the ill should pray to find "the grace to accept, without fear or bitterness, to leave this world at the hour chosen by God." The Vatican vehemently maintains that life must continue to its natural end. (MSNBC -- International)
Council meeting to address golf carts on streets Sep 16, 2008
Council members had agreed at a city work session that allowing the carts on city streets might cause more problems and that an alternative solution was available in the form of motorized wheelchairs. Councilwoman Pat Simmons told the council that she had talked with state officials who told her that, if Carr qualifies, the state would pay for part of the cost of new motorized scooter. (Atlantic News-Telegraph, IO)
Australia's Matthew Cowdrey grabbed his fifth gold medal at the Beijing Paralympics on Monday as China built up an unassailable lead in the medal standings.• No complaint, but many thanks for services Sep 16, 2008
"Staff in the commercial areas have been required to provide 'squat-style' service for customers in wheelchairs, so that they can talk to each other at a parallel level," said Deng. For the convenience of the disabled athletes, only the first three floors of the village's 42 apartment buildings, which have six to nine floors, were put into use, she added. (Xinhuanet, China)
Pope: Accept Death "at The Hour Chosen By God' Sep 16, 2008
The 81-year-old pontiff administered the sacrament of the sick to 10 people, most in wheelchairs, gently anointing their foreheads and palms with oil. While several European countries permit euthanasia, the Vatican vehemently maintains that life must continue to its natural end. (CBS News -- World)
Many patients pay for wheelchairs Sep 15, 2008
It also said 40% must pay for their own wheelchairs, while such services are readily available in England. The Welsh Assembly Government said Health Minister Edwina Hart would "carefully consider" its findings. (BBC News -- UK)
Pope anoints sick at Lourdes on last day in France Sep 15, 2008
Patients on wheeled stretchers and elderly in wheelchairs, many huddled under blankets against the morning chill, joined about 30,000 faithful outside the basilica built over the grotto where the Virgin Mary is said to have appeared in 1858. Although Lourdes is known for the 67 miracles the Catholic Church says have occurred there, Benedict made no mention of them in his sermon on devotion to Mary. (International Herald Tribune -- Technology)
Pope calls for redefinition of church-state relations in France Sep 15, 2008
Since the late 19th century, millions of Catholics, some traveling in wheelchairs and stretchers, have made pilgrimages to Lourdes. Many claim to have been miraculously cured by the spring waters, though the Vatican recognizes only 67 miracles here. (International Herald Tribune)
Pope urges pilgrims at Lourdes to cling to hope Sep 15, 2008
Some knelt on cardboard boxes or plastic bags to protect themselves from the damp conditions, while others watched from wheelchairs. About 6 million people, many of them sick and suffering, visit the French town in the foothills of the Pyrenees each year to drink from and bathe in its cool spring. (WSVN-TV Miami, FL)
Health reporter, BBC News Sep 15, 2008
Half of the families quizzed by the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign said that they had to provide their own wheelchairs and three out of four carers said they had no access to respite care. Half did not see a specialist neuromuscular consultant. (BBC News)
Love stronger than evil, pope tells Lourdes crowd Sep 14, 2008
Many were in wheelchairs or stretchers and helped by volunteers. When he arrived on Saturday night, Benedict prayed in the grotto where Bernadette Soubirous said the Madonna appeared and spoke to her 18 times and he drank water from a spring that believers say has healing powers. (The Star Online, Malaysia -- News)
Meadows makes it easy for disabled gamblers Sep 14, 2008
Ms. Crain uses one of the casino''s available wheelchairs to get around during her visits ... Walk into any of Pennsylvania's new slots parlors -- or virtually any casino in America, for that matter -- and you are likely to see people in wheelchairs, carrying canes, pulling oxygen tanks or reflecting other forms of disabilities ... Meadows officials argued that the seating requirement forced patrons in wheelchairs to face delays playing the machines. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA)
Disabled kept in the dark Sep 13, 2008
In July the Federal and NSW Governments handed over $11 million to clear a backlog of disabled people waiting for electric wheelchairs, custom-made shoes, hoists, slings and electronic devices - the specialist equipment that can make a difficult existence tolerable. That money, a one-off grant, was an almost 50 per cent increase in normal funding for the troubled Program of Appliances for Disabled People, known as the PADP scheme. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Opinion)
Agencies collaborate for medical equipment donation event Sep 13, 2008
The following items will be accepted on the collection day: manual wheelchairs, portable ramps, walkers, canes, crutches, commodes, shower chairs, grab bars, tray tables, reachers, long-handled shoehorns, hand and ankle weights, and any other small pieces of equipment. Unopened medical supplies also will be accepted. (NJ.com -- Times)
Wheelchair rugby mayhem in Paralympics Sep 12, 2008
Four players pass, dribble occasionally, and race up and down the hardwood in wheelchairs smashing into each other ... "There's a lot of shock and awe because people aren't used to seeing athletes in wheelchairs running into one another," U.S. coach James Gumbert said ... "Look, they've got bowling, darts they've got pool. Come on. Just because we're in wheelchairs doesn't mean you can't put us on TV.". (International Herald Tribune -- Technology)
Pitt expands its dental care for special needs patients Sep 12, 2008
The center and a street entrance are accessible to gurneys or wheelchairs. The goal of improving care extends beyond the expanded treatment options available at the center, said its director, Dr. Erik Scheifele. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA)
Senior Notes Sep 11, 2008
Lift equipped vans are used to serve persons with disabilities, including those who use wheelchairs and scooters. THE RIDE operates 365 days a year from 6 a.m.-1 a.m. in 62 cities and towns. (Watertown TAB & Press, MA)
Matt Reed: Different name, same cash scam Sep 11, 2008
That way, people in wheelchairs can roll up close to the rail and easily cast lines or hoist fish. But the ADA changes won't be adopted before work begins. (Florida Today)
* METALLICA goes back to its roots Sep 10, 2008
But it feels odd to hear the songs visceral horror played out as pulpy stadium-rock bombast tonight, while Metallica fans in Iraq and Afghanistan are coming home in wheelchairs and coffins from a controversial war they had no say in. I wonder if the James Hetfield of 1986 might have found it odd too. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World)
Six hurt in smash-up derby race Sep 10, 2008
Christie Dawes, from Newcastle, escaped injury when wheelchairs in the 5000 metres T54 race, for competitors with spinal cord injuries and amputations, collided while travelling at 30 km/h. Six athletes, including all three medallists from the Athens Games, fell hard. (The Age, Australia -- Breaking News)
Di Toro masters the effing, but can't match blinding Vergeer asrecord run continues Sep 9, 2008
They charged the net in their wheelchairs, did 360s when they were wrong-footed, so to speak, served big kickers and thumped topspin forehands. Vergeer broke serve in the first game. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Sport)
Fox Runs all set for Sunday Sep 9, 2008
The route is accessible for wheelchairs and strollers. Dogs on leashes will be allowed. (Abbotsford Times)
The art and science of wheelchair basketball Sep 9, 2008
Minutes before the cries of "Box left! Box left!" fill the floor, before players collide in ferocious crashes of aluminum and titanium, and before his United States teammates continue their quest for the gold medal in men's basketball at the Paralympic Games in Beijing on Tuesday, Paul Schulte will take a long, hard look at his opponents' wheelchairs ... All players know something about equipment, but Schulte has an almost eerie clairvoyance when it comes to wheelchairs ... As a mechanical... (International Herald Tribune)
Passport services return to the Kendall County Courthouse Sep 9, 2008
A counter that accommodates customers in wheelchairs will be constructed within the next few weeks and an automatic door opener will be installed at the entrance to the tax office. Search The Web. (Boerne Star, TX)
Oro Valley collecting donations for troops Sep 8, 2008
Items that are needed include wheelchairs in good condition, video games, disposable razors and shaving cream, toothbrushes, travel pillows, winter jackets, board games, black backpacks, magazine subscriptions, DVDs, MP3 player headphones, and phone cards. Donations can be brought to collection boxes located at Oro Valley Town Hall and at the Oro Valley Public Library through September 22. (FOX 11, AZ)
Invisible Illness Week Sep 8, 2008
Wheelchair is a traditional symbol for disability, but most disabled people are not in wheelchairs nor have other visible signs of their disability ... This does not fit the traditional view that wheelchairs are only for the paralyzed. (Suite101.com)
10 minutes with ... Jeff Christiana Sep 8, 2008
Even if on crutches, even if in wheelchairs, they don t perceive themselves as handicapped. How did that affect me. (Albany Business Review, NY)
Hi-tech solutions boost Paralympic performances Sep 8, 2008
Endowed with better ergonomics than traditional models, the "sports" wheelchairs being used in the Beijing Games are made out of titanium or aircraft aluminium, and consequently much lighter and more manoeuvrable. For tennis, two large slanted wheels with casters at the front allow powerful starts and pivots, opening the way for a more aggressive and faster game. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Technology)
Standing guard over the return of fallen sons Sep 8, 2008
There was a baby in a stroller - I think Mike Seggie's little nephew, Carson, with his soother - and two wheelchairs and at least one pregnant young woman, dozens of crying boy cousins, mothers wearing sunglasses on pale faces, military dads and uncles like Jim and Tom Seggie, former long-serving Patricias themselves, standing ramrod straight and saluting the caskets. Unusually, because the battle group led by the 2PPCLI is ending its tour in Afghanistan, also on the plane were 108 returning... (Globe and Mail)
WWII VETERANS: Kids keep reunions, memories alive Sep 8, 2008
Fewer than 90 vets attended last month's reunion, several in wheelchairs or ambling with walkers and canes. When the children and grandchildren of veterans were asked to stand at a banquet, about 80 rose. (USA Today)
Getting out on a high-tech Segway tour of the city Sep 7, 2008
The patented technology, "dynamic stabilization," was originally developed to enable people in wheelchairs to go up and down stairs -- that personal mobility device being the iBot. The Segway, a spin-off product, premiered in 2003. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA)
State budget impasse threatens health services Sep 7, 2008
"Five people are tube-fed. We have people with seizure disorders. Some have as many as 20 medications each day. We have people who have stage-4 sarcoma cancer, and 90 percent of our clients are in wheelchairs.". Other health care providers painted a similarly grim picture at the Sacramento news conference. (San Francisco Chronicle)
ASK THE EXPERTSWhat is muscular dystrophy? Sep 4, 2008
They spend the rest of their lives in wheelchairs with a host of medical problems. Most die in their 20s of heart or respiratory problems associated with the condition. (Scientific American)
Florida Researchers Build Off-Road Wheelchair Sep 3, 2008
And while there are other beach wheelchairs on the market, Rehab Ideas' product is unique in that users don't have to buy a separate wheelchair, they simply board the platform and ride into the sand. Prices for the products will range from $695 for a tray that can be attached and folded into the side of a wheelchair to $4,495 for the off-road wheelchair kit. (Fox News)
