One Reason Why Medicare is Broken

By Lynn Wilson
Founder of The CareGiver Partnership

This article is about one of my pet peeves – medical equipment that ‘we the people’ pay for, much of it unnecessary in the first place, and then is sold on the open market by people who didn’t pay for it in the first place so they can profit.

Why should this person pocket $799.99 when 'we the people' paid for this scooter?

Until about 2012, The Scooter Store spent $40 million+ a year convincing people they could get free power scooters. Their team of thousands would reportedly would strong arm some doctors to ‘prescribe’ their chairs, the majority of which were delivered to people who didn’t qualify (according to a congressional hearing). In the end, they fraudulently overbilled Medicare by up to $108 million. In early 2013, they were raided by the FBI. They will be totally out of business by years end.

Doug Harrison - Founder of The Scooter Store says he's proud of The Scooter Store

The man who created this monster, Doug Harrison arrogantly says he is ‘proud of what he created’. Is he proud that he bilked ‘we the people’ out of $108 million while he and his wife Suzanna continue living high on the hog in the lap of luxury? Is he proud that he jumped ship and pulled his money out of The Scooter Store retirement fund just before it imploded, leaving employees accounts devastated (they have filed suit)? Is he proud that he bilked millions from the town in Texas where his office was and left the town holding the bag? Is he proud that he cost thousands of employees in the lone star state their jobs?

The Government Created This Monster
Medicare created an environment where this type of theft and fraud could occur. There are people who received ‘free’ power chairs that are selling them on ebay for $800 and more. This is not ‘their’ chair. ‘We the people’ paid for it and it should be returned and lent to a person who truly needs it.

The rules need to change. When you no longer need a durable medical device, it must be returned and then destroyed, refurbished or repurposed. Selling a government funded device should be illegal.  Write your representatives and tell them so.


About The CareGiver Partnership. The CareGiver Partnership helps caregivers and their loved ones with answers to their caregiving questions, including information about home health care products and supplies, from our Wisconsin-based team of Product Specialists who are all current or former caregivers. The company’s Web site provides the largest online library of resources on subjects most important to caregivers — from arthritis to assisted living, and Parkinson’s to prostate cancer — as well as access to more than 3,000 home care products for incontinence, skin care, mobility, home safety and daily living aids. The CareGiver Partnership was founded in 2004 by Lynn Wilson of Neenah, Wisc. Visithttp://www.caregiverpartnership.com to learn more or call 1-800-985-1353. 

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