Now that ace TV pitchman Billy Mays is gone, all eyes should turn to The SCOOTER Store guy
Now that TV huckster Billy Mays is gone, who can replace him as top pitchman on middle-of-the-night TV?
Watchdog Nation nominates Doug Harrison.
He’s the guy on The SCOOTER Store’s incessant TV commercials who makes that big promise about the free chair or scooter if you don’t qualify under Medicare.
Billy Mays
Doug Harrison is founder and president of The SCOOTER Store and star of his own commercials. He promises that if you don’t qualify for a scooter or power chair with government assistance – his exact words – “we’ll give you a new power scooter free.”
The SCOOTER Store’s marketing campaign is an example of advertising that takes you to the edge of the line but doesn’t cross over. Or does it?
Doug Harrison
That same Doug Harrison a couple of years ago agreed to make a $500,000 personal “contribution” to the federal government to settle a huge civil lawsuit against The SCOOTER Store for violating the False Claims Act. The company paid another $4 million in fines and gave up Medicare claims worth about $13 million.
Harrison, the U.S. Justice Department stated in 2007, “also agreed to forego dividends from his shares in the company for the next year in exchange for a release of his personal liability.”
As a recent Watchdog column by Dave Lieber in the July 18, 2009 Fort Worth Star-Telegram reminded here, federal prosecutors accused The SCOOTER Store of engaging “in a multi-media advertising campaign to entice beneficiaries to obtain power scooters paid for by Medicare, Medicaid, and other insurers. Instead of the ‘zippy’ power scooters that were advertised, The SCOOTER Store sold the beneficiaries expensive power wheelchairs that they did not want, need and/or could not use.”
The government also accused The SCOOTER Store of selling used equipment as new and charging Medicare millions for unnecessary accessories.
As part of this, the company agreed to a 5-year corporate integrity program, monitored by the federal government.
When you examine the 2009 TV ad starring Harrison and the company’s latest marketing materials, the delicate use of language stands out.
The promise of a free chair is still there, but it’s loaded with conditions:
“You may even get your power chair or scooter ABSOLUTELY FREE.”
“Your new power chair or scooter could cost you little to nothing.”
“If we pre-qualify you… we guarantee you will receive it FREE.”
And the ultimate qualifier: “This guarantee has some restrictions, is not available in all locations, and is subject to change.”
You may…
You could…
If…
Notice how these words, added as qualifiers after the Justice Department’s action, are not capitalized.
What is capitalized?
FREE… and… ABSOLUTELY FREE.
Over the line?
Published in Column, July 18th, 2009 by Dave Lieber
Tags: Durable medical equipment, Medicaid, Medicare, The SCOOTER Store
July 31st, 2009 at 10:22 am
I am a power wheelchair user of more than seven years. I am grateful that, with the very close guidance of medical professionals, I have received proper equipment.
I want to raise a related issue that is even more obscene than the fact that the Scooter Store (and other companies) is pedaling this medical equipment with this kind of “line.”
Does anyone think about what a wheelchair is really for? Regardless of who “qualifies,” or how a sale can be made, we seem to have forgotten that a wheelchair is not a “thing” to buy just as we would purchase jewelry from another home shopping corporation!
I have cerebral palsy, and I was forced to make the agonizing decision to transition to a power wheelchair after years and years of battling against slow deterioration, pain, and loss of function. In the three years prior to having to relinquish the ability to walk functionally, I worked in physical therapy, used different types of crutches, wheeled walkers, unwheeled walkers, and manual wheelchairs. My lifetime of unrelenting work to remain ambulatory still resulted in the need for one of those power wheelchairs they are now marketing like candy to the afternoon viewing audience.
I cannot tell you how sickened I am by the number of ambulatory people I meet who stop to tell me how they wish they had a power wheelchair so that they didn’t have to walk. It’s so hot. They just get tired of being sweaty. It takes them longer to walk. They hate standing in line. Sure beats walking. And they can get one for free from the Scooter Store…
And just so you don’t think I’m rushing to judgment, these are people whom I know have gym memberships. They walk all over town on a regular basis. They see a wheelchair as a convenience. I think we have the Scooter Store to thank for that shift in attitude. People who don’t need wheelchairs want them now, because, and I quote, “it beats walking.”
Do you see these actors on the commercials riding in circles, showing off their new toys, waving to the camera? It’s a wheelchair, people! And if folks do go the scooter route, it still has the same very bad effect on the body over time. But why worry? You can go to the Grand Canyon! How convenient! What a great time a new power wheelchair would be! Sign everyone up!!
Again, only speaking from experience. But the first huge problem with the stranger who approaches me and wants a wheelchair just like the one I have is this. A wheelchair is an absolute last resort. And if any person goes from pretty much functioning on their own without any kind of assistive device–if they are doing ok, but not as well as they or their doctor would like them to be, then a wheelchair should not be the first choice.
I do talk to people when I’m not enraged by their chair envy. I ask them if they have talked to a doctor about wanting a wheelchair. I tell them a doctor needs to write a prescription for a wheelchair. I stress that a wheelchair is medical equipment, and that it is a medical intervention. I tell them the health risks of a sedintary lifestyle are much greater than almost any symptom (like pain) from walking that can be treated in another way. I also tell them that if they get a wheelchair it will be an uphill battle to do everything they can to maintain physical function, and that odds are they will not enjoy the freedom to walk around town like they do now. Or ride their bikes. (Yes, some people who tell me they want a wheelchair are whizzing by me on ten speeds).
Most people who want a wheelchair think it’s a toy. Oh, it’s so neat! They want it because they think it will make their lives easier. And the Scooter Store is right there, talking people into giving up their mobility as soon as possible.
As someone who didn’t go to the doctor and finally say the word–that I thought I needed a wheelchair, until I could not get out of bed to get myself a glass of water, until I was the cliche – “I’ve fallen, and I can’t get up” or until I was crawling on my floor to get to the bathroom–I resent this absurd complaint about not being able to get around your house because your home was not wheelchair accessible in the first place.
If you didn’t need your home accessible for a manual chair, use of walkers or canes, crutches, etc – or otherwise you did not need to make your home friendly so that you could function there with a disability significant enough to warrant the use of some type of assistive device, then anyone who wrote you a prescription for a power chair is guilty of malpractice, and anyone who sold you a chair you didn’t absolutely need is greedy and unethical to say the least.
If you truly need a wheelchair, you need your house to be accessible first. If it’s not, then it’s beyond me how anyone–customer, doctor, salesperson can justify getting you one.
And I don’t have any sympathy for anyone involved in a deal like that. If you want a chair because it looks like fun, it looks easy, and you think you’ll get it for free, ask yourself if it’s really worth giving up the mobility you have. Because you will lose what you have if you use adaptive equipment unless you 110% NEED it.
Not a toy! Be smart with your health. I wouldn’t do anything different. There was no chair until I could not function safely. Don’t let ANYONE talk you into getting a wheelchair for any other reason.
The only thing dumber and creepier than pedalling wheelchairs to any customers who think they know on their own what the consequenses are would be to sell oxygen tanks to just anyone who thought using those would save them the energy of having to breathe on their own. If the Scooter Store sold oxygen as if it were a convenience, would we buy that too, as long as it was free?
July 31st, 2009 at 10:25 am
Great stuff, Jane!
August 7th, 2009 at 8:49 am
I ask for a Jazzi and was told I had to take what my insurance paid for $8000 chair that does not hold charge, shuts off abuptly tossing you out and had a bad design in the control that gets turned on after it has been turned off slamming you into things. I have bee pinned against cabinets and funiture when my sleeve would catch the joy stick and pinned in such a way that I could not turn it off. I am 5’1" tall, and I have had that 300 pound chair pushing me. I call it my "cama-cazy" chair. I will not purchase another chair for the scooter store again.
August 7th, 2009 at 12:17 pm
Thank you, Betty!
August 24th, 2009 at 2:08 am
I think they both can do a ton in sales no matter what product you put in front of them. R.I.P. Billy!
February 5th, 2010 at 11:40 am
I’m just sick and tired of the constant TV adverts by The Scooter Store, on seemingly all channels and at all times of the day, including Prime Time. I remember my dad once told me, “if you see someone advertising a lot on TV, it means they are really doing well and able to afford the cost, so it’s better to buy from the little guy and give them a chance”. To me, The Scooter Store is just another example of big business greed – no matter how well they do, it’s never enough, never.
April 11th, 2010 at 10:07 pm
Thank you! That was really helpful, I just saved your url.
March 11th, 2011 at 10:01 am
I haven’t seen many scooter store commercials since the first of the year. Has anyone else seen them? They used to be on constantly. I watch a lot of television and I can’t remember seeing one for the past month. Maybe longer.
March 11th, 2011 at 10:19 am
Dan, I saw the same commercial on tv a week ago!
June 16th, 2011 at 1:55 pm
I am in the process of getting a wheelchair through these folks and am not happy at all with the high-pressure sales staff and others who have outright lied to me at times. I am finding it more and more difficult to move around without having to stop and rest a while because of diabetic neuropathy and PAD. The only decent person I’ve met from these folks is the guy who came out to my house to measure for accessibility, etc. All the others can take a hike. I have my mind set on a particular chair yet the sales rep is pretty much demanding that, if approved, I take the chair he’s pushing. If I don’t get the chair I’m comfortable with, I will refuse to buy from them and see if I can find a decent used chair. They show up on craigslist all the time and are usually affordable, even without the insurance.
August 14th, 2011 at 6:01 am
The scooter store is a joke. My wife & myself are disable. My wife has tried to get a power chair. Her doctor referred them. They have a local office in east Tn. we went and talked with them. All very nice. They started the paperwork. Some nitwit came out and measured our "house" . Due to the nitwit they have started giving us the runaround from saying its to small to the unit will not fit through the door…etc.etc. Oh the best one its against fire codes if the person can not ride it out in an emergency!
Now a little history.
We travel. Our house is a 30ft travel trailer w/super slide. Basically bedroom on one end the bathroom on the other. the whole side between the two ends slides out 4ft. The outside door is 30in wide. Its enough room for a couple models base with of 28in. They say there not enough room inside for the chair to work. My wifes manual chair goes in and out and enough room to use it. For where we live we have a deck and ramp access. When we travel, other than overnight stops I carry a portable folding ramp. Similar to putting atv or riding mower in the truck.
Due to an infection several years ago she is diabetic, stage 3/4renal, neuropathy in both leg and surgery cut nerves in one leg from the infection that has caused Charcot foot. Because of all of this injury cane & walker works a little. Her chair has gotten to where she can not use it by herself. I’m not able to push her for my disability.
Back to the scooter store issue. They were to bring a chair out to "try it out" this has been over three months as of 8/2011. The local office says talk to corp. "they" the girl that was working with us was bump and we wound up with a supervisor. He told us it would take 10 days for a particular model be shipped in and for them to come out. After a proper amount of time and no show or call. Ive started calling I either get voice mail, on answer of if I do get someone its transferred to voice mail No one will return my calls. Local won’t talk to us. No one will give us any reason other than codes, not enough room etc…
Because of some of my wifes falls emt has been out they can get there cot inside with enough people to 3-4 on either side to pick her up and put her on there cot and roll her out.
Oh there other reasons the chair can’t get in the bed room. But it can pull up to the door she can stands up turn around and sit on the foot of the bed. Same thing about the bathroom. there again pull up to the door stand up take one step turn 90drgs sit on toilette. sink is across from toilette.
The house we use to have was built in the late 40′s the bathroom it had a door with of 24ins the bedrooms may have been 30ins. only the front door was stander 36ins.
I believe the scooter store is unprofessional in there actions. They can not give any reasons that are valid. They can not quote any medicare rules other vague things like you need to do one thing in your home with the chair. We have given several. They say it wont fit Butt they wont bring one out to try. Not even a loaner they have in stock.
They even told us that the paperwork was in-order that it would not take long to get the chair. But that was before the nitwit came out to measure.
Other than coming through the front door there about 3.5 ft between the counter and wall. Around the counter then through the center there 5-6ft from the counter to the couch and table.
Anyway It looks like Its going to take another script from the doctor and all the paperwork and time to go through another company.
The scooter store corp. customer service is the worst. The local rep is useless "call corp. I don’t know what going on."
We bought this trailer because it fit our needs with the space inside.
I would rather them say "Were sorry your situation does not work due to our rules we have to follow." Than to be ignored, calls not returned, told they will send a unit out, or crazy answers. Yes I’m aware of medicare’s one or more home use rules. Than the B.S. THEY DISHED OUT. BEWARE.
August 29th, 2011 at 11:22 am
@CSmith
Unfortunately, due to your wife’s size, the smallest chair she can fit in is 32" (with the armrests removed.) The travel trailer’s door, when open and on hinges, opens to 30". It is simple physics on why your wife could not procure the chair. This was explained to you, in detail, by many different people that worked hard to get your wife a chair. The "nitwit" that measured your domicile was only acting in compliance with Medicare and in the safety of your wife. Additionally, you were given explicit warnings from your first interaction with The Scooter Store, that due to you wife’s size and the type of domicile you reside in, that it would be quite difficult to get the chair approved. It is well known that your wife is in need of a power wheel chair and great lengths were taken to put her in one to make her life, and yours, much better. As repeated multiple times, by multiple people, your domicile was not in compliance with Medicare and because of your wife’s size, the chair needed was not able to maneuver safely in the trailer.
August 31st, 2011 at 12:30 pm
The Scooter Store is a SALES organization. They only make money on selling their powerchairs and upgrading them if you let them. Service after the sale? Forget it. And don’t expect any service during the last week of any month….that’s when they stop service so they can concentrate on deliveries to make the bottom line bigger. Need batteries replaced? Be ready to argue why you don’t want a loaner chair so they can thoroughly "go over" your chair. Guess what? They bill Medicare for this "loaner" to the tune of 800 dollars just so they can change your batteries……which can be done inside your home. The general public doesn’t know the half of what fraud this company commits.