Scooter Store at end of road

[TexasTowelie]

Source: San Antonio Express-News

The Scooter Store, which has billed itself as the leading supplier of power-mobility equipment, is going out of business.

The New Braunfels company said in a statement Friday it will begin winding down operations in the coming weeks.

The company, which has been mired in bankruptcy and in a Justice Department investigation believed to be related to Medicare and Medicaid fraud, said it was “furloughing” management and staff. It employed about 370 people.

During its heyday, the Scooter Store employed more than 2,400 people and was New Braunfels' largest private employer. As of Friday, it had about 200 employees at its headquarters and about 170 spread over 55 distribution centers around the country.

Read more: http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local/article/Scooter-Store-at-end-of-road-4812722.php

[Tx4obama]

1. I've been wondering what ever happened to them after the DOJ raided them earlier in the year...

Here's a link from when the DOJ first raided them back in February:

The SCOOTER Store power wheelchair company raided in federal probe
Here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014404075

Goodnight

[KG]

2. see what happens when you let gov't get its hands on Medicare?

[Jesus Malverde]

11. signwriter is morans...nt

[secondvariety]

3. No more Tom Kruse?

[Mr_King]

12. He is...

the Hoveround guy.

[Auggie]

4. I'm waiting to see who goes to jail

[7962]

5. Always wondered how they got away with billing for those scooters.

"medicare will pay for it"
Nobody ever wondered who this Medicare guy was.....

[marble falls]

6. Awwwww ..... you mean Teabillies'll have to ride around on something else while they ....

protest about all the free stuff the gov gives away except those free scooters? Breaks my heart. Fat slobs may not get their country back, but they will be getting their walking shoes back. Nyuk-yuk-yuk-yuk-yuk-yuk!

[Populist_Prole]

8. That was my first thought too!

Those things always did seem to be the chariots of choice for hypocritical corpulent teabaggers. As much a part of their props as misspelled signs and tri-corner hats. Now it's Rockport walkers.

[woofless]

14. Fat slob responds thusly...

Ever occur to you that some folks may be fat because they are in a chair, not in a chair because they are fat? I am old, and yes, fat. I also have emphysema. I am not yet in a chair but I can see the day coming. One of the reasons I dread it is the looks I know I'll get from people who believe the same as you.

As an aside, I was always fat. From childhood. I worked twelve hour days in a hot factory for years on end, and was still fat. When I could no longer work, I gained weight. It just is. I am really sick of the notion that fat people are just lazy slobs. I know many thin attractive people who are lazy slobs, and assholes to boot.

Woof

[pnwmom]

15. Yes. And many people with serious conditions have to take steroids,

which also make them gain weight.

[csziggy]

20. !

I agree - I was temporarily on a scooter before getting knee replacements. With the scooter I could participate in activities. Without it, I had to stay home because I couldn't walk or stand to get TO an event.

My scooter was purchased used from someone who probably got it with Medicare. Once I am sure my husband and I won't need it I will sell it cheap to someone who can't qualify for a Medicare provide one.

[marble falls]

24. Didja ever think I wasn't talking about you, whom I've never seen. But the fact is I see a lot ....

of those freaking "free chairs" here about 45miles away from San Marcos. We have seriously fat Teabillies getting unnecessary chairs for "free" that the tax payers are out of pocket $1,000+ for. And these same folks think your grandmother or son dying for lack of insurance is all right and they even cheer it in their meetings. If that's you I've described I have no apology anyway.

What makes you think I'm so svelte?

[KatyMan]

25. not trying to belittle you but....

One of the main requirements for a motorized wheelchair or scooter is that one cannot propel oneself on their own I.e. no use of arms

This industry has bilked Medicare and Medicaid for billions Medicare and Medicaid are billed around 5000 dollars for each chair

Good riddance to them

[Aristus]

33. The emphysema didn't happen by accident.

The weight issue doesn't sound like something you were able to control, but the emphysema?...

[uppityperson]

35. Yup, working around coal dust or wood dust will set you up for emphysema.

Guess people should've been more careful about the jobs they did.

[WatchWhatISay]

7. Hope to see the online colleges go the same route

These were sweet deals for well connected "entrepreneurs" who specialized in how to get their clients set up to transfer government money directly to the businesses. Certainly some people needed these chairs, and when the need is severe it is good to be able to get them set up at Medicare's expense, but this company was set up to convince everyone over 50 (or over 50 lbs overweight) that this is how they get their share of government money. Otherwise it will just go to all those illegal immigrants and unmarried black mothers that never paid much in.

Many of these people were probably a lot better off not having a chair and getting more exercise. If your mobility is starting to wane, the last thing you might need to do is sit down and ride everywhere.

The online colleges and online home school related businesses are the same scheme. Use people who have a need as a conduit to get to that free government money. They employ armies of people who specialize in getting people approved for various government grants. They charge significantly more than state supported schools for subpar education that they know many of their clients will never complete. And if they cant get you qualified for some government program, they will find a way to get you qualified for some private money. Lenders will lend to people they wouldn't ordinarily because they can garnish you wages if you default.

The real problem with government money is that it is so easy to exploit the system and takes so long to shut them down, once it is appearant what is going on. But that's what they pay lobbists who write the laws for.

[shanti]

32. Yes

I was in Phoenix last week, and saw many billboards for these scams, er, schools.

[tammywammy]

34. While some online schools are for-profit industries

Plenty of regular universities have online courses too.

[Myrina]

37. YES YES YES

... from your keyboard to the Goddess' ears!!

"The online colleges and online home school related businesses are the same scheme. Use people who have a need as a conduit to get to that free government money. They employ armies of people who specialize in getting people approved for various government grants. They charge significantly more than state supported schools for subpar education that they know many of their clients will never complete. And if they cant get you qualified for some government program, they will find a way to get you qualified for some private money. Lenders will lend to people they wouldn't ordinarily because they can garnish you wages if you default."

[gopiscrap]

9. another example of a dirty business

also if we had a universal single payer plan with nationalized health care this shit wouldn't happen.

[Cleita]

10. +1000

[JimboBillyBubbaBob]

19. Indeed,

well said!

[gopiscrap]

21. Thank you!

I hate it when fucking businesses take advantage of the sick or grieving!

[Dawson Leery]

13. We no longer have to subidise those lazy teabaggers who run around protesting the government

on their medicare paid for scooters.

[pnwmom]

16. You don't think Democrats or progressives ever become disabled enough to need a scooter?

Dream on.

[Posteritatis]

17. This place loves to assume unpleasant-looking health issues are inherently conservative

Weight, mobility problems, mental illness - what the hey, they're all Teabaggers, right?

Ugh.

[uppityperson]

36. I know many very liberal people who need to use scooters. Shame on those who assume they all

are lazy, irresponsible, teabaggers, etc.

[TeamPooka]

18. Obamacare ended their ability to overbill for the wheelchairs so buh bye.

their business model was built around a leasing business paid for by Medicare.
Before Obamacare (ACA) suppliers like this could bill medicare for many times the cost of the equipment.
ACA ended that practice.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

22. I'm glad they didn't have a jingle to get out of our heads....

For those needing background on this:

http://thoughtfulwomen.org/2013/02/21/the-scooter-store-scandal-massive-fraud-revealed-video/

Then there was the Romney connection covered by The Young Turks:

[dembotoz]

23. would rather see them get cleaned up than cleaned out

they did fill a need

being able to get around is a wonderful gift if you otherwise can't

my first wife before she died spent a fair amount of time in a wheel chair because she could not walk far.

it sucked

[KatyMan]

26. they only have themselves to blame

I get so tired of people talking about welfare (medicaid) cheats when the real cheats are the home health agencies and durable medical equipment companies.

[phylny]

31. Here's a nice little story about such a company:

A Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant in our company was asked to write a letter of medical necessity for a child we saw for legitimate equipment he needed. Our office manager called them and reminded them that a COTA could not sign for equipment and didn't they want a Licensed Occupational Therapist to co-sign? No, no, they were in a rush and it was just fine.

Fast forward three years. The COTA no longer works for us and the company had a Medicaid audit. Medicaid asked, "Where's the co-sign by the OTL?"

The owner of the durable medical equipment comes running over to our office, demands to see me, and demands that we have an OT retroactively sign the request because "you made a mistake."

Of course, we don't do unethical or illegal things in our office and refused. So they were out over $5,000 and now won't do business with us because we are "so difficult."

Speaking of motorized chairs, my mother-in-law got one and it was the beginning of her downward spiral. The less she did the less she could do. I know there are people who really need them, but she couldn't turn it down because it was "free."

[Gman]

27. I would too but this is not the first go-round Scooter Store

they agreed previously to clean up their act. They didn't. Scooter Store was one of the worst offenders in the country.

[Tarheel_Dem]

28. I don't think scooters will go away, just the fraudulent Scooter Store. If...

there's a real need, as you say, then someone else will pop up to fill it; that's the beauty of the free market.

[jsr]

29. Founder walked away with a fortune.

[Hugin]

30. "largest private employer"

Hardly, "private"... When most of their income was derived from the Govt via Medicare.