Disparities in Wheelchair Procurement by Payer Among People With Spinal Cord Injury

The only payer group for which all beneficiaries received wheelchairs that met standard of care were power wheelchairs provided by WC/VA. Fewer than 90% of people whose manual wheelchair was paid for by Medicare and self pay, and whose power wheelchair was paid for by Medicaid/DVR, Medicare, and self pay did not meet standard of care. Although these findings need to be correlated with long-term risks, such as overuse injuries, breakdowns, and participation, this study demonstrates that disparities in wheelchair procurement by insurance provider persist.