Empire HomeCare

As a care manager for over 20 years for people with a wide variety of medical conditions, I want to salute Andy Krutman and his crew at Empire HomeCare as one of the top that provides, repairs/adjusts durable medical equipment. Unlike their main competitor that also accepts Medicaid and Medicare prior approval, Empire HomeCare actually helps the people I support with their equipment issues after delivery!

Empire HomeCare deserves its excellent reputation throughout the industry for knowledge and expertise in Assistive Technology, expedited collaboration with doctors/therapists, reliability, and willingness to go the extra mile to educate and make patients/customers safe and comfortable.
A pleasure to deal with!
Highly recommended!
Sarah Rosenthal, LMSW

Review: On July [redacted] 2012 I was tranferred to [redacted] to start rehabiltation after becoming paralyze from a fall at my home. During my stay I was introduce to Empire Healthcare agent [redacted] by hospital staff on inquiring after care equipment for my needs after discharge from [redacted]. My family an I was informed they could supply them at reasonable cost. The first thing I purchase was an air mattress/frame for 3000.00, I assumed they took inconsideration that I was 6'2 but to my dismay when I was discharged and returned home the bed was to small but said agent refuse to takeit back for a bigger mattress/frame. At this time my condition require that I sleep on an air mattress so I was told by this agent that he would give me 100.00 for it and then he sold me bigger bed for 8,000, I refuse to accept his offer and the bed is in my basement. I went into agreement to buy a power chair when I was in the hospital in October of 2012, the agent informed my family an I had to come up with 7.500 and my insurance would pay the rest so I picjed out a red Pride Mobility chair but it wasnt delivered until Feburary 2013 and when I went to pick it up it was blue not the color I requested, when my fiancee went register it the company stated it wasnt their chair, when he theaten them with legal action a Pride Mobility was delivered with manuel. I also purchase a shower chair from the hospital showroom for 1400.00 which said agent brokered. On July [redacted] 2013 I called for service on the shower chair and the 8,000.00 bed but was informed by agent [redacted] that I would ve to pay a service fee on equipment that was recently purchase which I stated but he said "nothing last for ever" and the phone went dead. I called back and ask the rep to inform agent [redacted] that on numerous times I ask for the warranty on nearly 50,000 of equipment bht to this date he has refuse to only produce one and that is the power chair after trying a bate and switch with me on the piwer chair. This company ve not dealt in good faith.Desired Settlement: This company need to replace the shower chair or return my money because at no time they stated it was three years old or we brought it "as is." The 8,000.00 bed never operated right from the time it was delivered to my house and once again no warranty was produce on any of the equipment I purchase after numerous request for them. When you're injury like I'm its sad that you ve companies like this preying on people in a hosputal setting at a very low point in our lives.

Business

Response:

Dear Sirs,

Below is a list of events in response to the letter received from the client [redacted] and her fiance [redacted] who has been acting on her behalf.

On October **, 2012, a standard size Hospital bed an standard size low-air loss mattress were delivered to the client's home. The decision on which equipment to purchase was made by the family and the therapists at the facility where the client was located. Empire Homecare was not at all involved in this decision. About 4 months later the client informed us that they wanted to purchase a higher-end bed and low air loss mattress. They asked if we would buy back the existing equip cut and we explained that we do not buy used equipment. On February *, 2013, a 42" bariatric be I and 42" Powerturn Elite mattress were delivered to the client. As a note, both the standard bed/mattress and 42 barbaric ed/mattress are the same length, the only difference as far as the dimensions is the width of the be l The standard bed is 36" wide and the bariatric bed is 42" wide. The bed and mattress come with a manufacturer warranty that covers defective parts only. The client complained that the bed frame was making too muclnoise. To resolve the situation we had our technician go out to the client's home with the manufacturer's silles rep to look at the bed and see if there was something wrong with it. The manufacturer' s rep concluded that here was nothing wrong with the bed, it was functioning normally. He explained that the noise was the normal sound of the motors and frame moving. Although the bed was functioning properly he still agreed to replace the be frame to satisfy the customer. We are waiting on the replacement bed from the manufacturer and when that comes in this week we will go and pick up the original bed and deliver the manufacturer replacement bed to them. All of this is being done at Empire's expense.

3/**/13 - A Pride Q6000Z power chair was delivered to the facility that the client was in. The chair was adjusted and the client paid for the chair Empire been in touch with the client for weeks prior to ask about the status of buying a chair but the week before the air was delivered we received a phone call saying they needed a chair delivered to the facility on that Monday. This is when they had an appointment and needed the chair then because [redacted]instruction in the manual loaner they were given form the hospital. We had a new chair in house that was intened for another client previously that was never delivered. This chair was then delivered to the facility and it adjusted and all accessories that were ordered

from the manufacturer went installed. We received another call several weeks later asking about a booklet for the chair. We explained to the client that we woul d get him a printed copy of the booklet but did not have the hard copy as it was misplaced. At that point he became and aggressive to our staff. He then began sending multiple harassing and threatening texts on a personal cell phone at all hours of the night. We wanted this to stop and did not want him to start harassing the facility as well we agreed to get him another chair or refund his money and pick up the existing chair. He decided to get another chair and we had that delivered on 5/**/13 and picked up the original chair. We then a and put all of the accessories on that chair and they were satisfied. A few days later we received a call again stating that there was something wrong with the new chair. We had the manufacturer's rep a company us to the hospital (at no charge to the client). The rep down· loaded new software to the chair and the client seem to be satisfied. After the second chair was delivered l received a text from him saying he like I doing business with us and wanted a price on an electric patient lift.

The shower chair that the client purchased unit that was housed at the hospital they were in. Two different therapists and myself explained to the family that they could purchase the demo shower chair for $1400 as is or they could buy a new shower chair for several thousand dollars more. The family decided to purchase the demo unit. The unit was picked up from the facility and delivered to the client's home on 10/**/12. Even if they had bought a new shower chair and had a full warranty, the manufacturers warranty will replace defective parts only. It does not cover service and labor. To resolve the matter we have gone to the client's house and looked at the shower chair. It was not broken, there was a screw loose on the headrest which was replaced and tightened and the chair is in good biking order.

With every purchase the client has had I complaint ad we have rectified it all at our expense. However the client must understand that a warranty covers defective parts only and not service calls or labor to install any parts. Any time a company is called to service an it that is purchased there is a charge for a service call, this is an industry standard as the warranty lovers defective parts only.

We have addressed each concern of the client. whether or not it was reasonable. The satisfaction it is our number one priority which is why we have gone above and beyond at our company's expense for every complaint that this client has had. We lope to help those in need and are very sensitive to each scenario of every patient. Every one of our clients s in place and we hope that we can make their lives a little better. We are not in this business to "[redacted]" on those in need. We are in this business to service and help those in need and take enormous pride in servicing our diets and our community.

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# [redacted], and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved because:

[Your Answer Here]I havnt received warranty packages for all items purchases nor the shower chair was repaired.

In order for the Revdex.com to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.

Sincerely,

Business

Response:

The shower chair that is in question was repaired on 7/**/13. It was not broken at all, the bracket that holds the headrest in place was turned and needed to be readjusted and tightened back in peace. This concern was also address in my first response to the Revdex.com.

Thank you for all your help.