Question
Why would you choose a ceiling lift over other lifts? Does insurance pay for any of the lifts?
Answer
Insurance coverage depends on the insurance companies. I am not aware of anyone getting coverage under Medicare. I do think that it is worth submittin. If we recommend that this will be better for an individual with private insurance, I think it is worth us trying to write a letter of justification. Using the portable motors and simple straight sections of track, I can tell you that it is more cost-effective. Our patients and we, as the therapist, may have to talk to the vendors, who do ceiling track systems through this, as the vendors will sometimes want to track through doorways and through the whole home. That can get very expensive. It is not cheap, but it can be more comparable, in a $4,000 to $5,000 range, of doing a portable motor and straight track in many cases. For insurance, we need to submit through that specific insurance. Workmen’s Comp has some coverage. With VA, there are some good benefits, and with private insurance, we may be able to justify the need. I would choose a ceiling lift over the other lifts as it will give easier and safer assistance by one caregiver to the individual. It will conserve floor space. We will be able to better assist with positioning as we can use the strategy of pushing the wheelchair perpendicular and forward of the track to help gravity pull their buttocks back into the chair, especially when we use it with a tilt. It also opens up the possibility of doing overground walking and gait training as well for individuals who are able to do that type of activity.
