how much does it cost to rent a wheelchair
WHAT: Medicare pays $800 to rent a wheelchair that retails for $350. COST: Medicare spent $188 million on manual wheelchairs in 2009; officials can't say how much of that involved overpayments.
The Medicare reimbursement rate for wheelchairs ranges from $490 to $1,750 for the 13-month rental period, depending on the type of chair. An Internet search shows those prices are at least twice the retail cost and in some cases much more.