Sunday, December 21, 2008

Thanks

to all for the suggestions. I'm still thinking
about things that can be done. I'd love to get
together with a group of others. Maybe we can
arrange to meet up in Las Vegas or something?
Anyone interested?

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

And another thing...

I believe someone needs to file a class action
suit against Medicare for classifying the iBOT
as a luxury.

They say going outside of our homes is a luxury.
That's discrimination.

What to do about Independence Technology

I'm just a quiet little mouse who is very uneducated
in matters like this, but I cannot sit back and watch
the iBOT die. Suggestions on what I and others can
do is greatly appreciated.

When a friend of mine (not an iBOT user, or even
disabled) found out about IT yesterday, he wrote to
Johnson and Johnson boycotting their products. J &
J is a huge company and IT is a division of J & J.
Obviously IT isn't making money from the bot. Without
enough insurance companies paying for them and at a
cost of $26,000, not enough people are able to get
an iBOT. I don't know how many iBOTs have been sold,
but I'm guessing it's less than 500. Of course this
is not a money making project for J & J. I even
spoke with the rep about this numerous times before
and after I got my iBOT. He said that J & J were in
in for the long haul. They knew it wouldn't be a
money maker for many many years, but they were
committed to it. So what happened?

Like my friend, I will be boycotting J & J products.
I will also do my best to spread the word so that
others will do the same.

I will also write to Dean Kamen. The guy the brilliant,
and obviously proud of the iBOT. I can't believe that
he will sit back and watch the iBOT die.

I've never done anything like this before, but I think
we need to organize some kind of rally. Image 100+ iBOT
users positioned all in the highest setting in balance
gathered outside J & J?

Anyone with me?

Nancy, Utah guy, Irv, Scott, others (Pat?).... what can we do?

I've been sick in bed for over a week now, so I'm not
quite myself these days... I would like to say that I'm
not about to sit back and quietly watch the iBOT die. I
do not know what I can do at this point, but I have a
few ideas in my head.


Are you with me? I'd be devastated to give up my bot.

Monday, December 15, 2008

IT will stop selling the iBOT

It's true. Independence Technology has announced they
will no longer sell the iBOT as of January 2009. Support
and service will continue until 2013 however.

The reason for this? Medicare says the iBOT is a luxury.
They won't even pay for a wheelchair that has outdoor
capabilities. They only cover a chair that will get
a person from one place in their house to the other.

What next? Is getting out of bed going to be a luxury?

Saturday, December 13, 2008

Oh no! Please don't let this be true...

I just received a message from "anonymous" asking if I've heard that IT is going out of business. I hope this is not true... though I wouldn't be terribly surprised. Crap. I've googled it but didn't come up with anything. Does anyone know anything about this? I'm very worried.