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Public Comes Through When Medicaid Refused to Buy Wheelchair 5 Times

Randall Lee Adkins II finally will get a new motorized wheelchair.

Aladdin Shriners of Columbus is buying the 16-year-old Bidwell boy with cerebral palsy a new one. The group was one of dozens of Ohio organizations and individuals who came forward to help after reading about Lee’s plight in Sunday’s Dispatch.

“We’re here to help children. That’s what we do,” said Harry Webster, executive director of Aladdin Shriners of Columbus.

Shriners was among more than 50 Ohio charities, community groups, churches and individuals offering to help Lee, whose family has tried unsuccessfully for two years to get Ohio’s Medicaid program to fix, and more recently replace, the wheelchair.

Held together with duct tape and spare parts, the chair has been inoperable since an electrical short disabled the motor. Its padded head support is useless, falling below his shoulders.

Still, last month a state hearing officer, plowing through a 16,000-case backlog, refused to authorize its replacement, “denied because submission was using non-Medicaid code.”

“In the real world, children get larger, they grow,” Webster said.

The outpouring of support since the story appeared has been overwhelming for Lee’s family, which lives in the Gallia County village of Bidwell.

“The phone started ringing at 8:30 (Sunday) morning and continued until about 10 that night,” said Randall Lee Adkins, a 47-year-old single father of two teens.

“I’m surprised by all the calls we’ve gotten and everyone wanting to help. One guy owned a medical distributor company and said he may be able to get the chair. A church in Gallipolis said they wanted to help. One guy just four miles away said he has a chair but it needs work.”

Gail Hinshaw, Shriners’ hospital coordinator, contacted the family yesterday after recognizing their name from years earlier when Lee received care at a Shriners hospital in Lexington, Ky. The charity supports 19 in the United States, Canada and Mexico, providing free orthopedic care to children. Another four facilities treat burn victims.

Before his wheelchair broke down two years ago, Lee would chase his sister as she rode her bike, make his way around school and participate in Special Olympics races. But without a functioning hand control, he’s had to rely exclusively on family and friends to get around.

Still, Adkins says he feels as if he has unfinished business with the state and its Medicaid program, which insures Lee because he is disabled.

“I’m not giving up because kids, or anybody, who needs help shouldn’t have to wait two or three years to get it,” he said.

State regulators have denied the family’s request for a new wheelchair five times over the past two years. A request for a new seat designed for the bathtub – to replace one Medicaide provided when Lee was a 1-year-old – also was denied because it was not considered a medical necessity.

“The response has been real good. Now I want to see what government has to do. They’re the ones who we wanted to wake up.”

“I’m not giving up because kids, or anybody, who needs help shouldn’t have to wait two or three years to get it.”

(c) YellowBrix 2008