TEMPE, Ariz. — Members of the Tempe Police Department are using social media and a fundraising website to help a longtime police officer get a special van for his large family of disabled children.Nathan and Lori Ryberg are parents to 13 children, seven of whom are special needs and three of whom use wheelchairs. Nathan Ryberg has been a Tempe police officer for nearly 27 years.Over the years, he’s resisted offers from co-workers to raise money for major expenses, such as a van that can accommodate all members of the family and their various wheelchairs.But Ryberg, 55, says he’s getting to an age where lifting his daughter, who uses a wheelchair, into the family van is getting tougher. Two other sons use wheelchairs but can use their legs with braces. The family also can’t fit into the van they already use, and they have to take two cars when they travel together.Ryberg, a detective in the department’s crime prevention unit, said the family cannot afford a $71,000 van that’s equipped with a wheelchair lift and can fit the whole clan.
His 19-year-old daughter uses a wheelchair and is getting bigger. Ryberg says getting a van with a wheelchair lift is in part so she can have some self-sufficiency.“She’s almost 20 now, and she really would like to get into a vehicle by herself,” Ryberg said.Ryberg says all of the older children and adults in the family participate in Paralympic sports and Special Olympics.“I just think this family is very deserving of this blessing, and it would make their lives so much easier, and that’s what we’re hoping for,” said Lisa Ball, a Tempe police crime prevention officer who works with Ryberg. “He’s a super nice guy. He always helps other people.”But Ryberg plays down his role.“We don’t really think it’s that amazing — we really don’t — because we’ve been plugging away at it for a long time. We have lots of issues but they’re all happy,” Ryberg said.He says he and his wife met in college, where they both studied social work and began working with disabled children.
The couple had six children of their own and adopted seven, all of whom have various disabilities.Ryberg joined the force because social work pay wasn’t cutting it. Lori Ryberg stayed home with the kids and recently became a part-time teacher. The family recently adopted two boys who were born premature and with Down syndrome.From walking four miles every day to being confined to a wheelchair; life changed in a moment for Julieta Zepeda almost four years ago.The Coral Springs resident, who was rushed to the hospital in February 2013 after feeling sharp pain down her arm, has Transverse Myelitis, a rare neuro-immune disorder. Initially paralyzed from neck down, her determination has seen her regain some mobility in her hands. "I try to be strong and think of the positives," Zepeda said. "I can breathe on my own; some people have to use a tube to breathe. I can move my hand; I am in a better position than so many of the others." Jackie Guzman knows she may not be able to see her mother walk again, but she is determined to help her parents get back at least a semblance of the life they were used to.
"I want my mom and dad to once again enjoy some of the things that we take for granted, such as scenic drives, the beach and dinner dates," Guzman said. "My parents have missed out on both of my sons' sports. I want them to enjoy a little bit of life together, outside the house."Guzman said she hopes that the community will support her efforts to raise money to help her parents buy a used wheelchair accessible van. She has signed up with FundLatinos, a crowdfunding site, to make it happen. "She will still be in a wheelchair, but having a wheelchair accessible van will change my mother's life," said Guzman. "She won't be just staring at the four walls every day. I am doing this for my dad as well; he is her 24-hour caretaker."Zepeda spends most of her time at home these days. When she goes out, mostly for visits to the doctor or to church, she has to depend on public paratransit. "Paratransit is not the easiest to use; we have to call them 24 hours in advance," she said. "I miss going out in the spur of the moment.
I love going to the beach, looking at the ocean."Zependa concedes to feeling depressed occasionally. "My husband tries to keep me going. I do have an aide but he is with me most of the time. I know I will be paralyzed for the rest of my life, unless the one up there decides I am going to walk again."Friends and family members have stepped forward to help, said Guzman. "We have received some donations, but there is still ways to go. A used wheelchair accessible van will cost about $40,000. I am not going to give up until we get that van." First Name*Last Name*Email*Zip Code*PhonePlease indicate the products/services in which you are interested:Interest - Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle Interest - Wheelchair Lift Interest - Chair Topper Interest - BraunAbility Finance Get to know the most trusted name in mobility. Sign up for the latest BraunAbility news, special offers and more! Wherever you are in the buying process, these easy steps can help guide you in the right direction, and lead you to your ultimate destination—driving off the lot in your new wheelchair vehicle.
We're Here to Help First Name*Last Name*Email*PhoneZip Code*Product InterestProduct InterestManual Side-Entry VanPower Side-Entry VanManual Rear-Entry VanPower Rear-Entry VanSide-Entry SUVOtherMessagePage Reviewed / Updated - May 2016 Get 25% Off Scooters & WheelchairsFree Quotes for Wheelchair RampsFind Financial Assistance for CareFind Affordable Senior CareGet Help Planning for CareTable of Contents Insurance Coverage Medicare Medicare Supplemental Plans Medicaid Financial Assistance Programs Veterans Assistance State Based, Non-Medicaid Programs Non-Profit Organizations and Foundations Paying Out of Pocket Average Wheelchair Costs Does Medicare cover the cost of wheelchairs? This is one of the most common questions we receive and the short answer is Yes. However, a better question would be, will Medicare cover the cost of a wheelchair for me? The answer to this is somewhat more complicated and it depends on the type of wheelchair, as well as your specific needs.
For Medicare to pay for a manual wheelchair, a senior must have a condition that prevents them from moving around in their home and completing their activities of daily living. Their disability cannot be resolved through the use of a cane or walker and the wheelchair cannot be necessary only for use outside the home. For Medicare to pay for a powered or electric wheelchair (sometimes called a scooter), the individual must have the same needs as for a manual wheelchair, but they cannot have the physical strength to operate it. In addition, they must demonstrate they have the ability to control the powered device without hurting themselves or those around them. In either case, getting Medicare to pay is not an easy task. A written order from a doctor is necessary, and must state the medical reason for the need and the type of wheelchair that is required. When Medicare does pay, typically they will cover 80% of the approved cost. Often if an individual has Medicare Supplemental Insurance, they will pay the remaining 20%.
Seniors and disabled adults can receive 25% off powered wheelchairs and electric scooters through a special partnership our organization has developed. Supplemental insurance plans do not offer coverage for additional products or procedures that are not covered by Medicare. These insurance programs instead help to pay for co-payments and Medicare's deductibles. So if approved by Medicare for an electric wheelchair, a Medicare supplemental insurance plan would likely pay for the 20% of the cost which Medicare does not. Contrary to common belief, Medicaid is not a single program. Rather, there are different Medicaid programs for different groups of individuals. As examples, there is Medicaid for pregnant women, developmentally disabled children, low-income families, and the elderly. Each program has different eligibility requirements and different benefits. Furthermore, every state has its own version of these programs. In discussing Medicaid's wheelchair and scooter benefits, we focus only on programs relevant to the elderly and what follows is written in general terms.
Some states' Medicaid rules may fall outside these norms. Medicaid does pay for both wheelchairs and power wheelchairs or scooters, but how it does is largely dependent on where the individual who requires the wheelchair lives: in a nursing home, in assisted living or at home. For persons who reside in Medicaid funded nursing homes, usually the wheelchair or powered wheelchair is provided to them when the nursing home staff recognizes the need. Persons who receive Medicaid coverage while living at home or in assisted living are typically on Medicaid Waiver programs. Each Waiver program has different policies with regards to durable medical equipment, but generally speaking, the policy mirrors that of Medicare. If the individual cannot perform their activities of daily living within their home without a wheelchair, then Medicaid will cover the cost. If they cannot physically manage a manual wheelchair, then Medicaid will cover the cost of a power wheelchair. It is worth noting that the inability to manage their activities of daily living is something that must be determined by a physician.
A friend or family member cannot simply make that determination and expect Medicaid to pay for the wheelchair. Unfortunately, it is nearly impossible to provide a definitive answer to the question of whether the VA will pay for a power wheelchair or a manual one for any one specific person. Certainly both scooters and arm-powered chairs are covered benefits for some veterans, but there are many factors that determine what type of wheelchair and how much of the cost is covered. These factors include, but are not limited to, the type of disability, whether or not one's disability is related to one's military service, and one's personal financial resources. It is best to contact the VA directly to determine if a wheelchair, powered or otherwise, is a covered benefit for the veteran who requires assistance. In related assistance, the VA offers several grants that are designed to help veterans make home modifications to make their homes wheelchair accessible (or to account for other disabilities).
These are the Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) Grant, the Special Home Adaptation (SHA) Grant and the Home Improvements and Structural Alterations (HISA) Grant. Many states have non-Medicaid based financial assistance programs for the elderly and disabled. While most of these programs are intended to provide services to help individuals remain living outside of nursing homes, some of them also provide assistance for durable medical equipment, such as wheelchairs, scooters, lifts, and ramps to make a home wheelchair accessible. Unfortunately, due to recent economic cutbacks, the list of state programs that do offer assistance is growing shorter, not longer. Assistance is available from local non-profits or the local chapters of national foundations. However, often times the available assistance comes not in the form of financial help for wheelchairs, but rather as long-term loans of the equipment or through the sale of heavily discounted, refurbished, power wheelchairs and ramps.
A short list of non-profit organizations that provide help with wheelchairs can be found here. For the individual who cannot receive assistance from Medicare or any other source and must pay out-of-pocket for a power or manual wheelchair or electric scooter, there are two considerations of which they should be aware. 1) Our organization has partnered to provide seniors and disabled adults with 25% the cost of powered chairs or electric scooters. 2) Any money spent out-of-pocket is tax deductible. If the individual is filing their own taxes, they can receive a tax deduction under Medical and Dental Expenses. If the individual is being claimed as a dependent on someone else's tax return, they have the option of using that same deduction or using the Dependent Care Tax Credit, whichever is more advantageous to the tax filer's situation. Mobility scooters prices usually begin around $600 and go to $2,000. Pricing variables include maximum weight capacity, whether they have 3 or 4 wheels and travel distance without a battery re-charge.