Subject: Support Wheelchair Warranty Protections

Dear Senator/Representative [Your Representative]

As a [wheelchair user/loved one of a wheelchair user] and a constituent of yours from [Your district and ward], I urge you to support S.2546: “An Act expanding wheelchair warranty protections for consumers with disabilities”. [Now tell them why! Has your wheelchair broken down? How long did it take to fix it? Were you offered a loaner or an alternative to get you moving again? Has your warranty been voided? How would this bill improve your life?]

The current wheelchair repair law doesn’t do enough to protect consumers with disabilities. There are no time requirements for fixing a broken wheelchair, or offering a loaner wheelchair, sometimes leaving disabled consumers without a working wheelchair for months on end. Anyone who has had insurance pay for their wheelchair is without protection, and the current law only protects consumers who pay out of pocket for their wheelchairs. Wheelchairs can cost tens of thousands of dollars, and those with the least mobility often have chairs that cost the most. For many, paying out of pocket is not an option.

The current law is significantly weaker than the wheelchair warranty laws in other states; 16 states require a loaner chair when significant repairs are required. Not only that, but other states require that every effort be made to get individuals moving again within days of a breakdown, and otherwise must offer a temporary replacement chair. This is in direct contrast to the months-long wait-times described by Massachusetts consumers. As stated by the Disability Law Commission, “the law has been ineffective in incentivizing manufacturers and providers to provide reasonable levels of customer service, and has failed to provide consumers with usable remedies to secure repairs or recover their own expenses.”

S.2546 would obligate providers and manufacturers to assess inoperable wheelchairs within three business days and provide a temporary chair within four to eight business days for the expected duration of repairs, extend the warranty period, and allow consumers to do simple repairs themselves without voiding the warranty. By providing consumer protections, this bill would ameliorate the ill effects of wheelchair breakdown.

I ask you to please support S.2546: “An Act expanding wheelchair warranty protections for consumers with disabilities”.

Thank you for your time,

[Your Name]