Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  12/23/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  In October 2024 started process with REQ to order a power wheelchair for my husband who has advanced **. *** told that *************** requires 30 days to get approval. On November 13 his primary care doctor, **** ******, returned all needed documents for this. I and ******************* assumed that the insurance company had everything and were waiting for insurance decision. On December 13 I called REQ and they said a Product Description Form was also needed. On December 17 that form was returned by the doctor. I called daily from that date on to see if everything was all set and no one returned my phone calls. I talked to REQ today, December 23, and they informed me that due to poor payment history with ***** they were no longer taking that insurance and our order was being taken by another company National Seating Company in *********. Because of all of these delays, we will miss the endo of year delivery deadline and will have to meet our deductible again and co-pay for power wheelchair. My husband is bed bound without this chair and has been since ***** 2024. His health is very much affected by the inability to get up out of bed, personal care, unable to have ** treatment at infusion center and lack of socialization. He has been hospitalized twice since ***** needing transportation by ambulance for the stretcher because he has no wheelchair.

  Business response

  01/22/2025

  On October 22nd, I conducted an evaluation at the client's home with his wife and therapist present. I explained the typical 3-5 month turnaround time for custom power chairs through insurance due to extensive paperwork and strict timelines. I emphasized our efforts to expedite the process, given the family's deductible was about to reset at the end of the year. However, I also stressed that timely chair delivery by year-end could not be guaranteed due to factors beyond our control.
  On November 1st, I emailed the therapist guidance on justifying the need for a power chair in her medical necessity letter. I received the letter on November 7th and promptly faxed it to the client's ************ Physician (PCP) along with requests for recent medical records.
  On November 13th, I received the requested documents from the **** On November 14th, I instructed the office staff to send a detailed written order to the **** emphasizing the need for expedited processing. This order cannot be dated before the medical necessity letter's concurrence date, hence the delay.
  On December 10th, the order was still outstanding, so we resent it. We finally received it on December 18th. Upon contacting the insurance company, we learned that prior authorization was required, a process that could take up to 30 days. This timeframe, combined with the custom chair fabrication and delivery timeline, made it impossible to obtain the chair before the end of the year.
  Concurrently, we were facing significant financial penalties from the same insurance company. Due to these challenges, we made the difficult decision to discontinue accepting this insurance.
  To assist the client, I contacted a competitor. They agreed to accept the existing paperwork, measurements, and quotes, eliminating the need for the client to start the process anew. I informed the client of the situation, explained the reasons for our decision, and obtained their consent to transfer the paperwork to the competitor.
  As I lacked a medical release, I faxed all necessary documents to the ********** to facilitate a smooth transition to the new provider.
  

• Initial Complaint

  07/16/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My name is **** ****** and I received a brand new wheelchair in the beginning of 2020. Right from the beginning the service tech from the company had to come to my home and they spent over six hours trying to fix an electrical problem. They did succeed at that time, but multiple times has this problem come back and it has gone back to REQ for the same exact problem. They say its fixed they tell me it was the same problem as last time, a wire, an actuator, the brain, and also the motors. This chair has left me stranded multiple times inside my home, and also outside my home one time in the middle of the street and Ive had to call the fire department to come assist me. REQ had the chair recently as of a couple of weeks ago they replaced the same wire and delivered the chair to me. I met the delivery driver outside as he went to turn the chair on It did not work so he told me he had to disconnect the system to reboot it but unfortunately it did not last long because again on 14 July the chair broke down on me again and I had to call 911. The fire department came to retrieve my manual chair and where I am a T5 paraplegic they had to pick me up out of my power chair to put me into the manual. As of right now, the chair is sitting in my kitchen. I have called the REQ multiple times left messages with different people including the owner and I have also sent a video of the chair not working and the fire department coming to assist me. They will not even call me back. Send an email or anything. At this time the chair has broken down for the same problem at least 10 times, I do not feel safe going out in public with it so I feel that it is time for REQ to admit that this chair is a lemon. I was told when I got this chair by their sales person I did not have my choices of chairs. This was the one I was going to get now I know that was a lie. I cannot specify how important this is, imagine if your legs work when they want to. It is time for them to do the right thing!

  Customer response

  07/27/2024

  Up above, I have put The address for  REQ  im not sure if this is what you require, but you must understand. I have a brain injury and I do not understand what Im supposed to be putting down here. I have wrote the original complaint about not having the company repair my wheelchair properly. Its been there multiple times, for the same problem cannot be fixed. Every time they say it is fixed it breaks down on me within days and I have to call the fire department for them to come and retrieve my portable chair and put me into it. 

  Business response

  08/23/2024

  REQ has responded to all of ******************* calls in a timely manner.  We currently have his chair here at our ********** facility and have called in the representative of the manufacturer.  We just replaced his joystick and cable, and the manufacturer will be sending no charge motors for REQ to replace on his power wheelchair.  Once these have been replaced the manufacturer strongly believes that he will not have any major issues with his chair due to manufacturer defects.

  *** ***********

  Service Manager

  Customer response

  08/29/2024

   
  Complaint: 21997773
  
  I do not accept the business's response as a resolution to my complaint because: Req has had my wheelchair more than I have had it.Req has replace the controller, wiring, and motors more than once. We have been down this road so many times the company needs to face it. This chair is a lemon. I am not asking the company to pay out of their own pocket for a new wheelchair all I am asking for is for REQ work with my insurance company about getting a new wheelchair because of all the Breakdowns. The chair is not safe to for me to even walk my dog with it because of it always breaking down. My doctor has agreed this is the way to go. She will also write whatever she needs to for me to receive a new chair. Le Lets hope we all can agree to this.
  
  Thank you, sincerely **** ******. 
  

• Initial Complaint

  07/11/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I received a brand new Invacare Aviva wheelchair from REQ in October. Within a month I started having electrical problems with it, so a rep came to my home and tried to fix it. The repair lasted a couple of months and the same problems started to occur. As I’m driving the chair will just shut off. I than brought the chair to REQ they worked on the chair for a couple of hours and I was told they had to order some parts. At this time the chair is unsafe to use. I live in the city and it is very dangerous when the chair shuts off in the middle of the street. I have called REQ on many occasions to try to resolve this problem. I also contacted the company that makes the chair and they had told me REQ has not even called for any parts. I don’t understand why REQ would lie about this. I depend on my wheelchair every day! Please help me with this problem so I can enjoy the summer with my $40,000 wheelchair. Yes this wheelchair cost $40,000 the amount of two new cars. This will be the third time I have been there for this electrical problem. At this point in time you would think this wheelchair would be considered a lemon.

  Business response

  07/14/2022

   Good afternoon we are in receipt of your complaint from one of our clients.  Please be aware that I have called Mr ******* twice. He explained to me that he wanted to wait till the bearings came in prior to continuing the diagnostics regarding his power w/c shutting down.  These were 2 very separate issues.  When he called regarding the chair shutting down we immediately got the Mfg Rep involved. The mfg rep spent 7 hours at mr ****** home with him driving in his home and outside.  The chair did not shut down under any conditions.  The chair needs to come into our shop to diagnosis with the mfg tech at the factory over the phone with our senior technician.  There is a process that must be followed to try and identify why this is happening,   The issue about the bearings came much later.  No matter mr ****** made the decision to postpone an appointment regarding the shut down of the chair until the bearings were here and able to be replaced.  We have been on hold with the mfg to confirm that they have shipped, but have been on hold for over a ½ hour .  we have sent an email and are waiting to hear.  I will continue to be in touch w/ Mr. ****** daily. 
  Thank you for bringing this situation to our attention.  We can be reached at 603-645-5200 
  *** **********

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