CONTACT
US!
shelley@buddybike.com 786.489.BIKE
(2453)
Business Hours Mon-Fri 10am-6pm EST
Buddy Bike, LLC manufactures
and distributes The Buddy Bike® an alternative tandem bicycle that provides
safe family fun and therapeutic activity for cyclists with special needs.
Bike for autism, down syndrome, sight impairment and other disabilities.
Please contact us if you need
a quote
or other documentation to assist you
in your funding
application.
shelley@buddybike.com
Many
families have obtained funding to purchase the Buddy Bike as
therapeutic equipment
for children with physical and/or cognitive
disabilities such as autism, Down Syndrome, sight impairment, cerebral palsy,
epilepsy and
hypotonia.
Below you will find a list of
ideas for seeking medical funds to purchase the Buddy Bike
as therapeutic equipment. If you do not qualify for state or county
funds, we offer alternative funding suggestions based on the
successful fundraising efforts of other families. According
to Laura in Lakewood, CO, she was initially denied and filed
several appeals but she eventually obtained the support she
needed through a local organization.
Although Buddy
Bike does not offer funding programs and we are not a
Medicare provider, we are happy to work with your funding
sources to help make your dream of having a Buddy Bike
become a reality!
Please note that Buddy Bike nor any of the
organizations listed below can guarantee that you will
qualify for funding.
RIDE NOW, PAY LATER With Square installments, eligible customers have the freedom to pay for a large purchase by splitting it into easy, fixed monthly payments. Loans are available to AZ, CA, CO, CT, FL, GA, IL, KY, LA, MA, MI, NC, NJ, NY, OH, OR, PA, TN, TX, UT, VA, and WA residents only. Square Capital - installments@squareup.com. To request your invoice to apply for this program contact shelley@buddybike.com or 786.489.2453.
AMAZON Some Buddy Bike products listed at Amazon may be eligible for no interest if paid in full within 12 months with the Amazon.com Store Card. Some orders may be eligible for FREE local bike assembly.
The Great Bike
Giveaway by The Friendship Circle. Join for your chance to EARN a Buddy Bike or other adaptive
bicycle! Your donations can help more
kids with special needs receive bicycles! Registration opens annually in February. For more
information visit THE GREAT BIKE GIVEAWAY.
BUDDY
BIKES FOR CHRISTMAS
Cancelled for 2018
Please consider a contribution toward a Buddy Bike for the East Side Riders Bike Club instead. ESRBC provides opportunities to vulnerable kids in South Central L.A. by steering them in a new direction - with bicycles! A Buddy Bike would be helpful for any riders in their group with special needs or for some of the new riders who aren't too comfortable riding on their own yet. The Buddy Bike can help the kids learn cycling skills while still keeping up with the crew. Call Shelley at Buddy Bike to contribute. 786-489-2453 or shelley@buddybike.com
Only $654 to go so they can receive a new Buddy Bike!
Buddy
Bike, LLC will plan to help raise funds to provide 1
Buddy Bike to a special need child each Christmas (or
whichever holiday you celebrate)! The fundraising goal
must be met by December 1 in order for the child
to receive a Buddy Bike by December 20. To be
considered for this program, the family must have
applied for funding for a Buddy Bike and been denied.
The denial letter will be requested as proof and the
family must be willing to fundraise on their own to
improve their chances at raising the funds by the
fundraising deadline. For more information visit
contact
shelley@buddybike.com.
The Buddy Bike may qualify as HCPCS Code E1399DME Miscellaneous and has also been covered as HCPCS T2029 Assistive Technology - Tandem Bicycle.
"In cases where a more
specific HCPCS code is not available, a product may be
billed using E1399, durable medical equipment,
miscellaneous. In order for durable medical equipment to be
covered or reimbursed in the home, many third-party payers
require the equipment to be: (1) prescribed by a physician
(2) durable (3) medically reasonable and necessary."
Many times, an adaptive
bicycle can be purchased through waiver programs. Each state
is different in their coverage and the process for accessing
waiver funds. Some states require a denial from the primary
insurer first prior to covering with waiver funds, others
require a physician’s prescription with a therapist’s letter
of medical necessity and evaluation for the equipment.
Caseworker: You should begin by speaking with your
caseworker or family support
counselor for specifics in your state on coverage and to
see if
assistance is available through
county or state funding and grants.
Another good starting place
would be to contact your Community Center
Boards (CCB).
Medical Professional: Request a prescription or
"Letter of Medical Necessity" of your doctor or therapist.
Some states may have laws requiring funding to be
provided if a doctor writes a note requiring the equipment for
therapeutic purposes.
DME Provider: The Buddy
Bike is classified as Durable Medical Equipment (DME). You
may contact the organization in
your state that provides DME. See
DME Code
above.
SAMPLE FUNDING REQUEST
LETTERS These sample letters may be helpful in submitting your
funding applications.
To our knowledge, the Buddy
Bike has been partially covered by 1 insurance policy through BCBS.
Here are some notes from the customer to help you navigate
your own insurance claim.
Customer covers cost
then seeks reimbursement.
Insurance doesn't pay
for anything prior to service or delivery.
Approximately 80% was
covered according to the customer's plan (Federal Employee
BCBS plan). This reimbursement rate may vary from plan to
plan.
SUBMIT A CLAIM,
step-by-step process:
Letter of Medical
Necessity filled out by Doctor and PT and OT, coded as
Durable Medical Equipment (DME). See
DME Code
above.
Submit Letters of
necessity and quote for Insurance company eligibility
review.
After approval is
received then you can order and pay for the bike.
After receiving the bike
then submit bill along with approval letter for
reimbursement.
A bike shop will not be on
their approved providers list and it is unreasonable to ask
the bike shop to navigate the medical billing and coding
system to seek payment from insurance.
Search for local agencies that provide assistance for
special needs children. Most of the agencies that have
provided funding operate by county so start looking locally.
Seek local or state chapters of national groups such as
Variety Club, Easter Seals, and Make-a-Wish
Foundation.
GRANTS FOR ADAPTIVE BIKES
There are a number of grants available from organizations
that focus on helping children with disabilities. These
organizations may provide grants or other funding assistance for adaptive bikes.
Holding a benefit or
fundraiser for a child is a great way to get the community
to help out. Set a goal of raising the funds necessary for
the bike, shipping, assembly and maybe even a helmet. Reach
out to your community through letters, the news and local
television or radio, and fundraising events.
WARNING! It is
imperative that a family contact a special needs attorney
prior to holding the fundraiser to establish a proper trust
for the funds earned. If it is not set up properly, the
money can be viewed as income for the child potentially
making them ineligible for state health plans and waiver
programs.
FUNDRAISING IN YOUR COMMUNITY
Schools and universities:
Many sororities, fraternities,
Girl/Boy Scout groups or other school groups will take the
community project of raising funds to purchase equipment
such as the Buddy Bike for a special needs child.
Family: Hold a birthday party
but tell your guests that instead of gifts, you would
prefer donations toward the purchase of a Buddy Bike.
Church
FUNDRAISING ONLINE One of the most
efficient ways to fund raise for a Buddy Bike is through
online fundraising. You can set up a fundraising page using
one of the services below (fees may apply) then promote your
page through e-mail, social media and word-of-mouth!
CREATE A WEB PAGE
Create a
web page to raise
awareness of your child's disability and to raise funds.
There are many sources in the web for creating free web
pages. Add a section talking about the Buddy Bike and how it
would benefit your child. Then add a PayPal button to
request donations online. Here are some sites created by
some of our customers:
Funding may be available through
various associations to purchase the Buddy Bike as
therapeutic equipment. The following list
includes organizations and Buddy Bike authorized dealers who have funded
Buddy Bikes or who may be able to assist you in utilizing medical waivers
and funds to purchase the Buddy Bikes as therapeutic equipment. If you do
not see a program below that applies to you,
you should check with your family support counselor, case worker,
therapist or other medical professional to find out if funding is
available through county or state funding and grants.
This list is provided as a courtesy.
Buddy Bike nor any of the organizations listed below can guarantee that
you will qualify for funding. Contact the organization for their criteria
and program requirements. Some programs are state-specific.
Some families have used
FSA (Flexible Spending Accounts) to purchase Buddy Bikes.
FINANCIAL LOAN PROGRAMS OFFERED BY STATE If you do not receive insurance coverage, medical funding, or other funding assistance RESNA (Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of America) provides a list of Financial Loan Programs Offered by State and a list of several organizations that may provide grants.
Some Colorado families
have used Children's Extensive Support (CES) Medicaid Waivers. Contact
Division for Developmental Disability Services (state) and check with
your local Community Center Board (county).
Gardiner's Scholarship
May be used for adaptive bicycles. Use the Payment Forms to request pre-authorization. May pay and be reimbursed or request that the vendor be paid directly.
Agency for Persons with Disabilities Programs: iBudget Florida Waiver Services and Consumer Directed Care Plus (CDC+) Families should check with their CDC+ consultant to see if funds are available through this Medicaid Waiver program. Once approved, families order and pay for the Buddy Bike then receive reimbursement.
LISS Funding -
Low Intensity Support Service, is a
statewide program for individuals who meet the service requirements
set by the Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA). Preventive
in nature, LISS assists individuals with developmental disabilities
improve their quality of life, remain in their own homes, increase or
maintain independence, and participate in the community by providing
resources and financial assistance. Learn more at
LISS Fact Sheet.
MISSOURI
Doctors Equipment Service,
Kansas City
816.523.6644 |
drsequipserv.com
OHIO
In Ohio
with a medical prescription the Buddy Bike may fall under
OT/Recreation/Leisure which should be covered by school and Board of
Developmental Disabilities. Check for funding information at your
county Board of Developmental Disabilities (click
for list), ARC, Family & Children First Council, FRS Family Resource Service
and MRDD. Waivers include: Level 1 (L1) and Individual Options (IO).
Buddy Bike is a
Registered Vendor in:
Cuyahoga County, OH
Breakaway Cycling, Delaware
740.363.3232 |
breakawaycycling.com
Not a provider but they
have sold several bikes through funding sources.
Delaware Creative Housing, Inc. -
Creative Living Systems, Delaware
740.368.5803 |
delawarecreativehousing.com
All counties, Homecare or IO Waivers through OMRDD
systems. Administrative fee.
OHIO
(cont'd)
Delaware County Board of Developmental Disabilities,
Delaware
740.201.3600 |
dcbdd.org
New
Story - New Story Fund
newstory.com
(contact them through web)
PA only. This for-profit
business funds $25,000 in under-funded products & services twice a
year. You'll need to submit your story and let them know why you need
the Buddy Bike and how it will help your child.
Pennsylvania Assistive Technology Foundation
King of Prussia | 484.674.0506 |
patf.us
PA only. Low-interest
loans, extended repayment terms and info about other funding sources.
At least
one Buddy Bike has been purchased using a CES Waiver.
TEXAS
Here is a
comment from one of our customers regarding funding a Buddy
Bike or other therapeutic equipment in Texas: "There is a
division of MHMR in every county. MHMRA is Mental Health
Mental Retardation of [COUNTY]. It's a good organization and
the go to for all answers about what's available in the
state or community for this population. But you can see why
the company just uses initials for the name."
Buddy Bike, LLC
is on the Children's Long Term Support (CLTS)
Medicaid Waiver list through
Wisconsin Dept of Health Services (DHS). All
counties can purchase the Buddy Bike through this system. Talk to your
case worker or support services counselor to see if you qualify to use
this program to purchase the Buddy Bike as therapeutic equipment.
AUSTRALIA
Per a Buddy Bike customer in Australia, Australian families with a
child under the
age of seven, with a diagnosis of autism, automatically receive
funding for therapy and equipment each financial year. Equipment
constitutes around 35% of the available
funds and won't fully cover the cost of the Buddy Bike plus shipping.
You also should check with your customs office. In some countries
customers have imported the Buddy Bike duty free by declaring that
they were receiving an item for a “disabled child”. One family is
researching item 8713 and GST class B105 GST to import an item for a
disabled child as duty free.
National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) - I do not know if they have covered any Buddy Bikes but it should be worth looking into! You can also contact our dealer in Australia for assistance. Mike King at Back2Bikes
CANADA
Advanced Mobility Products Ltd.
Burnaby, BC
604.293.0002,
advancedmobility.ca
ADAPTIVE CYCLING
United Kingdom
Customers:
You
may be able to receive your Buddy Bike duty and VAT tax
free!
CLICK HERE for a
step-by-step guide. This information is provided by a
customer. The customer nor Buddy Bike can guarantee that you
will qualify for receiving the tax exemption. This
information is provided for reference only.
STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE
Ireland: Per the
Irish Tax & Customs web site, "articles for people with
disabilities may be imported from non-European Union (EU)
countries free from payment of Customs Duty and VAT." Visit
the link below for more information about the goods
involved, the relief available and the procedures involved
at importation.
Relief from Customs Duty and VAT on the importation of
articles for People with Disabilities - CDPN4
Advocates & Consultants
The following is a list
of advocates and consultants who may be able to help
connect you with funding sources. Administrative fees may apply.
OHIO
Autism Advocates & Consultants LLC
IEP Specialist, Autism Consultant, Behavior Consultant, Special Education
Advocate Ask for a Buddy Bike trial ride!
WE DO NOT BUILD THE
SIDE-BY-SIDE SOCIABLE TANDEM ALSO CALLED
"BUDDY BIKE"
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AMEX
