Insurance & Cost Makes it Impossible

As member of the largest and most diverse of all the minorities, we represent the largest “Spectrum” of race and gender diversity in the United States. We are the physically Disabled. (Challenged) live in a world that seems to strive for changes for the best of all humanity. We see daily on any outlet you choose to follow how we should treat others regardless of their circumstances, which I'm 100% in agreement with. Making this world a better place should be everyone's top priority!?

This brings me to very interesting and dire problem with-in the world we live in. A world were we see the people striving to be better, a world were we see technology improving by the second, a world were our health professionals get better everyday, but a world were we see insurance become WORTHLESS!

I understand that insurance has a very difficult time keeping up with raising healthcare cost and any related equipment cost. But do we really put a dollar amount above the needs of any human being? Unfortunately the answer is yes!?

In the United States, approximately 25% of people have some type of disability. Adults with disabilities are three times more likely to have heart disease, stroke, diabetes, or cancer than adults without disabilities. Only 9.7% of adults with disabilities meet recommended physical activity guidelines, and nearly half of all adults with disabilities engage in zero leisure-time activity or aerobic activity

I'm writing about accessible equipment. Equipment that is not only needed but a necessity in most cases. When looking into the enormous problem of accessible equipment one doesn't have to dig very deep to start to see the absolute ridiculous prices, the total lack of care by insurance companies and the fleecing of the disabled community.?

Today I'm only going to write about 3 different things that should put a warning signal up like the Batman signal did to Batman from the mayor. This 3 things should tell the world, WOW......we need to look into this and at least TRY and fix it!

First, if you suffer from a disability that requires you to be wheelchair dependent then a wheelchair shouldn't take an act of Congress to get. If you are reading this and don't know any better, a new wheelchair will take a minimum of 6 months but in reality closer to a year or more to get. You ask why? First the companies you deal with that size and fit you for your chair are awful. Secondly, the insurance companies never approve anything, the insurance companies play cat and mouse games with the person writing the scripts. This cat and mouse game of rewriting the script can take months. If only the insurance company cared enough about the human being that needed the wheelchair, cared enough this person has no other way to move from point A to point B.?

Secondly, if you are wheelchair bound and are in need of a new seat cushion for one reason or another. That reason can be your current cushion is holding air or the gel is leaking. It could be that your pressure points have changed and you need a different cushion to accommodate the problem. The reasons can be many, the reality is you need a new cushion. But the insurance companies can take months to approve a new cushion that cost $300-500. But the person in need of the cushion can develop a pressure sore in hours let alone waiting months to get the cushion needed. The craziest thing about this, is a cushion that cost $300-500, the insurance company denies will ultimately cost the insurance company a $100,000 in hospital cost to have surgery to fix the pressure sore wound. Crazy right! The insurance company just doesn't care.?

Lastly, when a person outside of the disabled community needs a vehicle they can buy a car that cost $500 to unlimited that will get them by. But if you are wheelchair bound under most cases, hold on because you are either going to get fleeced or not have a vehicle. A new accessible van with modifications will cost $60,000 to 90,000. A wore out accessible van with 200,000 miles is still $10,000-20,000. In most cases disabled community just can't afford an accessible vehicle and rely either on public transportation or paid transportation.?

In the end, everyone deserves at least their bear necessities they need in life. In many cases the disabled community is suffering unfairly. Yes, in many different areas people are suffering and their needs should be taken seriously. I believe that's all the disabled community is asking, simply for their needs to be taken seriously and to insure a certain quality of life.

While the outdoors encourage people to engage in more physical activities, the barriers to participation for people with disabilities are numerous. The high cost and lack of availability of adaptive equipment, transportation, and accessible facilities present a significant barrier to participation in physical outdoor activity for people with disabilities.?

Unfortunately, insurance does not pay for accessible outdoor recreation equipment and very few non-profit organizations provide financial assistance for the purchase of such equipment. As a result, most people with disabilities lack access to the adaptive equipment required to participate in outdoor recreational activities.

But today I can tell you how to make a small but huge difference. The mission of Swift Outdoor Accessible Recreation is to offer programs and services for individuals with disabilities that promote being close to nature. Swift Outdoor Accessible Recreation (SOAR) was founded in 2015 by Brian Swift. At age 17, Brian Swift received an injury while playing football that damaged his spine. Since the accident, he has been a quadriplegic. He has never let his disability keep him from achieving his goals and participating in activities he loves. Brian founded SOAR to help other people with disabilities participate in outdoor recreational activities and interact with nature. SOAR is primarily a volunteer organization.

SOAR serves both children and adults with physical and developmental disabilities across the United States. Since our founding in 2015, SOAR has assisted over 1,500 people with?disabilities by providing accessible and adaptive recreational equipment and outings for fishing, camping, cycling, hunting, water sports, all-terrain wheelchair riding, and more.

God bless and thank you for your support. soarnoonprofit.com

Brian Swift