Does anyone use a Hoveround power wheelchair?

angus · 07-16-2004, 07:06 AM

Just wondering what you thought of them?

Kendell · 07-16-2004, 09:31 AM

Debbie had a Hoveround - her first power wheelchair. It died two years later. If you're a pretty active person, my vote is not to go there. She has a Pride Jazzy 1142 now. So far it's holding up a lot better.

Melissa/Kendell

jimnms · 07-16-2004, 10:44 AM

I don't have one, but I hate their comercials.

_____
Learn from the mistakes of others, you won't live long enough to make all of them yourself.

KLD · 07-16-2004, 03:37 PM

My parents bought one for my mother (against my advice) several years ago. They have had many problems with it. It is difficult to get repairs due to the small number of dealers (and no one else will touch their chairs). They are really designed for the geriatric market...one step up from a scooter. If you want to spend that much money, I would deal instead with one of the "majors".

Check out comments on www.wheelchairjunkie.com for some good info on power chairs.

Mac85 · 04-07-2011, 03:58 PM

dont get it, they are shit

jschism · 04-07-2011, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mac85

dont get it, they are shit

and by "they are shit", he doesn't mean they are cool either. they are junk

GrandmaGarnette · 06-11-2012, 11:20 AM

My active 92-year-old grandmother has a HOVEROUND. Two years and many Medicare-billed service calls later, it's still not working well. I found out that the Hoveround is a brand that OTHER COMPANIES WILL NOT SERVICE !!! You are stuck with them. They bill my grandmother's Medicare, then go back and charge her 20% of that. It's a racket!
I want to send a well-worded letter to someone higher up at Hoveround. If anyone here has a good contact, please let me know!

Patton57 · 06-11-2012, 11:39 AM

To me, the Hoveround business model has always seemed very similiar to the business model for high profit, low accountability home health agencies. They allign their products/services to get very high reimbursement throughput with Medicaid and Medicare at the minimal cost. They're just low accountability profit machines IMO.

Tarkus · 06-13-2012, 01:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Patton57

To me, the Hoveround business model has always seemed very similiar to the business model for high profit, low accountability home health agencies. They allign their products/services to get very high reimbursement throughput with Medicaid and Medicare at the minimal cost. They're just low accountability profit machines IMO.

Now how could they be profit centers when they are giving out all those free chairs ......? You know like the Scooter Store that gets everyone a power chair "at no cost to me" ! Lol

The system is a sham. Those that need a powerchair have to jump thru hoops, metaphorically, while others seem to have them thrust upon them. I think the worst part is the way they thumb their noses at the system by running those commericails and the powers that be let it continue .

Be Big,
AMAC

JohnW · 06-14-2012, 09:55 PM

Those consumer chairs cost nothing to make. The price is all commission. I was told by a DME sales rep friend that they are like selling vacuum cleaners. Everybody involved gets a cut, depending upon how high up the chain you are.

He said my jazzy retailed for $3600.00, (years ago). Pride fronted it to the DME for prox $1,000.00 on credit. That is not how much it cost to make though.
Real cost is a secret. Then after it is sold, the DME kicks back prox half of the profit + $1000.00 back to Pride, keeps the other half and pays the lowly floor salesman $50.00.

Kirby/ Electrolux anyone ? That is a vacuum cleaner style commission pyrmid. ha. Since all the value is in commission, next day resale is $500.00 on ebay.

07-16-2004, 07:06 AM	#1
angus Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: saratoga springs, ny Posts: 187	Does anyone use a Hoveround power wheelchair? Just wondering what you thought of them?

04-07-2011, 03:58 PM	#5
Mac85 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Chicago Posts: 767	dont get it, they are shit __________________ C5/C6 Complete since 08/22/09

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07-16-2004, 09:31 AM	#2
Kendell Senior Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Ohio Posts: 1,070	Debbie had a Hoveround - her first power wheelchair. It died two years later. If you're a pretty active person, my vote is not to go there. She has a Pride Jazzy 1142 now. So far it's holding up a lot better. Melissa/Kendell

07-16-2004, 10:44 AM	#3
jimnms Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Mississippi Posts: 2,673	I don't have one, but I hate their comercials. _____ Learn from the mistakes of others, you won't live long enough to make all of them yourself.

07-16-2004, 03:37 PM	#4
KLD Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: California Posts: 866	My parents bought one for my mother (against my advice) several years ago. They have had many problems with it. It is difficult to get repairs due to the small number of dealers (and no one else will touch their chairs). They are really designed for the geriatric market...one step up from a scooter. If you want to spend that much money, I would deal instead with one of the "majors". Check out comments on www.wheelchairjunkie.com for some good info on power chairs.

06-11-2012, 11:20 AM	#7
GrandmaGarnette Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Posts: 1	My active 92-year-old grandmother has a HOVEROUND. Two years and many Medicare-billed service calls later, it's still not working well. I found out that the Hoveround is a brand that OTHER COMPANIES WILL NOT SERVICE !!! You are stuck with them. They bill my grandmother's Medicare, then go back and charge her 20% of that. It's a racket! I want to send a well-worded letter to someone higher up at Hoveround. If anyone here has a good contact, please let me know!

06-11-2012, 11:39 AM	#8
Patton57 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 1,370	To me, the Hoveround business model has always seemed very similiar to the business model for high profit, low accountability home health agencies. They allign their products/services to get very high reimbursement throughput with Medicaid and Medicare at the minimal cost. They're just low accountability profit machines IMO.

06-14-2012, 09:55 PM	#10
JohnW Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: nm, usa Posts: 326	Those consumer chairs cost nothing to make. The price is all commission. I was told by a DME sales rep friend that they are like selling vacuum cleaners. Everybody involved gets a cut, depending upon how high up the chain you are. He said my jazzy retailed for $3600.00, (years ago). Pride fronted it to the DME for prox $1,000.00 on credit. That is not how much it cost to make though. Real cost is a secret. Then after it is sold, the DME kicks back prox half of the profit + $1000.00 back to Pride, keeps the other half and pays the lowly floor salesman $50.00. Kirby/ Electrolux anyone ? That is a vacuum cleaner style commission pyrmid. ha. Since all the value is in commission, next day resale is $500.00 on ebay.