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 |  | With Insurance: $5-$20+ |  | Without Insurance: $15-$80+ |
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Typical costs: |
- Without health insurance, a cane typically costs about $15 to $20 for standard hook canes or ornamental canes; $15 to $40 for foldable or quad canes; and $20 to $80 for canes that have special features, such as those that double as folding seats or those that have wheels.
- A cane typically would be covered by health insurance if prescribed by the doctor because the patient needs support when walking.
- With health insurance, the typical cost would consist of a copay or coinsurance of less than $5 to $20 or more, depending on the total cost of the cane. For example, this Aetna policy has 20 percent coinsurance for durable medical goods.
Related articles: Crutches, Wheelchair, Back Surgery, Chiropractor
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What should be included: |
- A traditional hook cane -- also called a C cane -- typically is made of wood with a simple hook for a handle and a rubber tip on the bottom.
- A grip cane typically is made of wood or metal and has a straight handle made of rubber or PVC to allow a better grip. Some are adjustable.
- A quad cane is similar to a grip cane, but instead of having one tip at its base, it has four tips to allow for better balancing. Some are adjustable.
- A folding cane can be folded down to make it easier to transport. Some are adjustable.
- About.com Physical Therapy[1] offers a guide to types of walking canes.
Additional costs: |
- A cane wrist strap, which helps prevent the cane from being dropped, costs about $5.
- Replacement rubber cane tips can cost about$5 each, or slightly less if purchased in a package.
Discounts: |
- Some local or regional nonprofits have programs that provide free, short-term (three- to four-month) loans of canes and other medical equipment. For example, Goodwill/Easter Seals Minnesota has a medical equipment loan program, as does HELP Adult Services[2] in Omaha, Nebraska. Locate a local chapter of Easter Seals through EasterSeals.com[3] , or contact the county health department for a referral to a local program.
Shopping for a cane: |
- Canes can be purchased at many drug stores or pharmacies, as well as online at sites such as Amazon[4] , DrugStore.com[5] and online medical suppliers such as The Medical Supply Group and Allegro Medical[6] .
- Canes that get good reviews from customers include the:Mountain Properties Folding Travel Cane Floral-Mauve[7] , the Medline Offset Handle Cane[8] , the Invacare Adjustable Quad Cane[9] , the Duro Med Adjustable Small Base Quad Cane[10] and the Elite Cane Seat[11] .
- Important factors to consider when choosing a cane include: the type of cane, the grip of the handle, whether the cane can be used in the right or left hand, how much weight the cane can support (some have a limit of 250 pounds while others support up to 700) and sturdiness. The Mayo Clinic[12] has a guide to choosing and using a cane.
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Material on this page is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. Always consult your physician or pharmacist regarding medications or medical procedures.
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What People Are Paying - Recent Comments |
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External Resources: |
- physicaltherapy.about.com/od/devicesandorthotics/a/canetypes.htm
- www.helpadultservices.org/HELP.html
- www.easterseals.com/connect-locally/
- www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=sr_nr_i_0?rh=i%3Ahpc%2Ck%3Awalking+canes&keywords=walking+...
- www.drugstore.com:80/search/search_results.asp?N=0&Ntx=mode%2Bmatchallpartial&Ntk=All&s...
- www.allegromedical.com/browse/browseProducts.do?searchPhrase=cane
- www.drugstore.com/products/prod.asp?pid=165169&catid=58727&trx=PLST-0-CAT&trxp1=58727&t...
- www.amazon.com/Medline-Offset-Handle-Bronze-Shades/dp/B0007VNZPE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=h...
- www.allegromedical.com/canes-c6632/quad-cane-medium-base-10-1-4-x-6-adjusts-26-1-2-36-1...
- www.amazon.com/Duro-Med-Adjustable-Multi-Color-Small-Black/dp/B000CSWBYI/ref=sr_1_3?ie=...
- www.allegromedical.com/canes-c6632/elite-cane-seat-p554665.html
- www.mayoclinic.com/health/canes/HA00064
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