Medical Equipment Provider's Lack of Service

[heartdog]

My question involves a consumer law issue in the State of: CA
Not sure what topic area to put this. Just wondering if there's a case here. I have had a bad problem with a DME (durable medical equipment) provider for the last few years. First, they tried to get me a new wheelchair through Medi-Cal, but it would take a long, long time before I heard anything. They blamed Medi-Cal, even though I know it takes about 6 weeks normally for any response. I kept getting denied. They ping ponged back and forth trying for a manual chair then a power chair. This made things confusing for Medi-Cal, and for two years it kept getting denied, til I finally paid out of pocket for a wheelchair. I had to have one.

Meanwhile, I was supposed to get a cushion, too. They could have, and should have ordered one separately, and gotten one in a timely fashion. After trying to make do with what I had, and complaining a LOT, they finally ordered one. The wrong kind. I developed a pressure sore. They promised it would be just a week to get the right one. It took them three months. By then, the pressure sore situation worsened. I've now been confined to bed for over 9 months, and my quality of life is horrible. I can't work (I'm an artist), I can't do anything. I'm now faced with paying out of pocket for a cushion that might help my sore situation, because it won't be covered.

They also finally got me a powerchair. It does not fit, and didn't have the proper batteries. They've now taken over a month to take it back, and see about fixing the situation. They will have to pay to have a new base for the chair to fit larger batteries, but that's not my problem (even though they're trying to make it so). They want to give me a demo or used chair. I'm fed up. Just because I have Medi-Cal, it's like I have no rights. They don't care. I wonder if there's anything legally I can do. They are responsible for this pressure sore, in my mind. I just don't know if legally they are, or if it can even be proven.

Thanks.

[Mr. Knowitall]

This is the only equipment provider that is available to you?

[heartdog]

This is the only equipment provider that is available to you?

No, but once you start working with one, under Medi-Cal, you can't just switch boats mid-stream and go to another one. They submit for approval, and you wait for the answer, then if it's approved, they order the stuff. If not approved, they should have advised me to request a fair hearing (found out about this on my own). It's such an involved process, that you have to start all over again if you do end up going somewhere else. If it were just out of pocket sure, I could say sayonara and go somewhere else. But I can't. So this ended up happening.