If you need a wheelchair through CAS and want to find out how you can obtain it, it is important to understand both the administrative steps and the difference between what is settled as reference price and what may remain, in some cases, a personal contribution. On our store you can find both wheelchairs, as well as a dedicated area for products settled through CNAS, plus information about CAS settlement procedure, just to make the process easier to understand.
What does obtaining a wheelchair through CAS actually mean?
In the social health insurance system, medical devices are granted to insured persons based on a medical prescriptions / standardized medical recommendations, and for medical devices intended to recover organic or functional deficiencies, the procedure is regulated by the CNAS norms. The insured person's guide published by the CNAS also shows that medical devices can be granted for a fixed or indefinite period, based on a medical prescription issued by a doctor under contract with the insurance company.
For the category wheelchair by CAS, the list published in Annex 38 explicitly includes variants such as manual wheelchair, with electric drive and active, together with the replacement deadlines and reference prices. In the list published by CNAS, the reference values are 872 lei for manual wheelchair, 2,936 lei for the one with electric drive and 1,650 lei for active wheelchair; replacement deadline is 3 years for the manual, 5 years for electric and 4 years for the asset.
Who can request settlement?
According to the CNAS insured person's Guide, the application for the device can be submitted by insured, of a first or second degree relative, of husband/wife or of legal representative. The CNAS norms also provide that documents can be submitted on behalf of the insured person. any person, except for representatives of medical device suppliers.
What documents are needed to obtain a wheelchair through CAS?
In the general form presented by CNAS, to obtain the device, the following must be submitted to the insurance company: APPLICATION, copy of the identity document and medical prescription within the legal validity period; for some special categories, additional documentation may be required. The insured person's guide explicitly mentions a copy of the identity document and the medical prescription, and for some special equipment, the disability certificate also appears, as appropriate.
In practice, county councils usually also publish a request type and requests prescription/recommendation Annex 39B, and some official pages explicitly display wordings such as: sample request for requesting the purchase/rental of a medical device, medical prescription – recommendation Annex 39B in original and ID card/birth certificate. For this reason, it is very good that before submitting, you check the exact page of the insurance company where you are registered.
What are the steps, in brief?
1. Go to the specialist
The first step is to obtain a standardized medical recommendations for the necessary device. CNAS stipulates that the devices are granted based on this medical recommendation, and the standard model is the one in Annex 39B.
2. Submit the documents to the insurance company
Once you have the recommendation, submit the application and documents to the health insurance company you are registered with. CNAS indicates that documents can be submitted not only directly at the counter, but also via mail, courier or electronic means of communication.
3. Respect the prescription expiration date
Medical prescriptions for devices lose their validity if they are not submitted to the insurance company within the 30 calendar days from issuance. This is one of the most important parts of the procedure, because an expired recommendation can mean retracing the steps.
4. Wait for the insurance company's decision
According to CNAS regulations, the insurance company must decide acceptance or rejection of the request within 3 working days at most from registration. If the application is accepted, a approval decision for purchasing or renting the device.
5. You withdraw the decision and go to a contracted provider
After issuance, the decision can be picked up by the beneficiary or sent, upon request, by mail/courier/electronic means, and then you contact a device supplier under contract with the insurance company. To purchase the device, the Insured's Guide shows that you need the decision issued by the insurance company and of medical prescription.
How long is the decision valid?
CNAS norms provide that, for the procurement of a medical device, the validity period of the approval decision is 30 calendar days from the date of issue, with certain exceptions provided separately for other categories of devices. This means that, after the file is approved, it is a good idea to contact the supplier quickly and not let the documents expire.
Is the full price settled?
Not always. The CNAS insured person's guide explains very clearly that some medical devices have a higher selling price than the amount that CNAS reimburses for the respective category, and in this case there may be a personal contribution, representing the difference between the selling price and the reference price. That is why, when comparing models, it is not enough to just ask if the product is "discountable", but also what is the reference price and what difference remains to be paid, if any.
For example, on our website there are products where it is explicitly indicated and the reference price settled for a wheelchair through CAS, which helps you more easily understand the relationship between the settled value and the final cost of the chosen product.
What happens if funds are no longer immediately available?
CNAS norms provide that, when requests for devices exceed the approved monthly fund, priority lists, by device category, and the decision is issued when the available funds allow settlement, in the order of the respective list. This means that not all delays are related to the file; sometimes they are related to budgetary availability.
How to choose the right model before submitting your application
From a practical point of view, before filing, it is good to clarify what type of wheelchair settled through CAS fits the real needs of the user: manual, electric or active. Our store already has relevant categories for users looking for active wheelchairs, ELECTRICAL, standard or other solutions for mobility, recovery and autonomy. The right choice matters not only for daily comfort, but also to avoid the situation where you receive approval for a variant that does not meet your real needs well.
A wheelchair chosen solely on its appearance or price may not be the best solution. The way it will be used, the degree of independence desired, the environment in which it will be used, and the need for more efficient transportation, positioning, or propulsion are all important factors. If you need more autonomy while traveling, it is also worth carefully analyzing the difference between a standard model and an active or electric one. This is a practical conclusion based on the types of products available and the differences in category, not a single legal rule.
What we recommend you check before choosing a supplier
Before proceeding with your purchase, check:
- which model falls within the recommended device type;
- what is the reference price and if there is a payment difference;
- what sizes and configurations are suitable for the user;
- whether the product is suitable for daily, temporary use or for an active lifestyle.
Conclusion
Obtaining a wheelchair through CAS/CNAS It involves a few clear steps: medical recommendation, submitting documents to the insurance company, issuing a decision, and choosing a contracted provider. The most important things to remember are these: the prescription must be filed within 30 days, the insurance company decides in maximum 3 working days, and in some situations there may be a difference to be paid between the product price and the settled reference price.
If you want help choosing the right model before you start the procedure, we can guide you to the right category of wheelchairs, to the area of products settled through CNAS and to our page about CAS settlement procedure, so that you start with the essential information already clarified.
Frequently asked questions:
Can a wheelchair be obtained through CAS?
Yes. The CNAS list for medical devices explicitly includes the category wheelchair, with variants such as manual, electric and active, each with its own reference price and replacement deadline.
How long does it take for the insurance company to respond?
According to CNAS regulations, the insurance company must decide to accept or reject the application in at most 3 working days from the registration.
How long is the medical recommendation valid?
The medical prescription for the device must be submitted to the insurance company in 30 calendar days from issuance; otherwise it loses its validity.
Is every model fully discounted?
Not necessarily. CNAS settles in relation to reference price of the category; if the chosen product costs more, there may be a difference borne by the beneficiary.