Motorized Wheel Chair

Life is certainly not easy for those who are crippled either by accident or disease. Many people are stuck in wheelchairs for long durations, some too disabled to make due with a manually powered one. These people, it seems, are running into trouble when it comes time to approach insurance companies.

A 3-year-old boy, Liam Russell, was intially denied his claim for a motorized wheelchair when medical professionals discovered that he had a rare degenerative disease called type 2 spinal muscular atrophy, which requires a motorized wheelchair in order to salvage indepedance. His parents were surprised by the insurance companies refusal of their claim.

The insurance statement read that they were covered for, in quotes, “durable medical equipment,” a vague promise that consumer advocates say is one example of health insurance companies writing policies in ways that gives them flexibility to deny claims of their choosing.

Ben and Lynn Russell, who are small business owners, were left in charge of covering the cost of their son’s chair, which was roughly $23,000. Assurant, the insurance company who denied them a motorized wheelchair, offered a manual chair instead but because of his atrophy, Liam’s disability doesn’t allow him to function properly in anything but a wheelchair that runs on batteries.

Liam’s grandmother, Amy Kaplan, continued to make appeals to the insurance company after the Russells were denied coverage twice. Assurant, who eventually buckled under the pressure and squeezed out a measily $2,549 towards the purchase of the $23,000 wheelchair, gave a lame excuse, saying that “this decision is made in accordance with coverage provisions” and based on 13 months of renting a manual wheelchair, which their policy covers.

The Russells continued to fight for their son’s wheelchair but, despite their efforts, their many appeals to the insurance company were never approved.

Kaplan wrote a letter to “Good Morning America” in an effort to bring their case to the media’s attention. After five months of waiting, during which Liam’s grandmother waited for communication, Assurant’s chief executive contacted her on the phone to schedule a telephone meeting. Liam’s wheelchair, however, was still not covered after the phone call had ended.

Liam continues to grow, though the #23,000 wheelchair that they have purchased now will become obsolete by the time he turns 10 and has outgrown it. ABC News spoke with Assurant’s senior executive, who would not appear on camera. After the phone conversation, the company issued a statement claiming that they were comissioning a study to look into the matter.

The Russells still do not have a concrete solution for their son’s future. They have set up a fund to help care for Liam, however with the cost of motorized wheelchairs and their son’s growth in mind, they may be looking at spending a fortune on wheelchairs in the upcoming years.

Liam’s fund:
“Liam Russell Supplemental Needs Trust”
c/o Moss Kaplan
2380 Fairfax Street
Denver, CO 80207

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