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Hoveround moves beyond commercials

Hoveround moves beyond commercials

SARASOTA, Fla. - For the first time in the company's history, Hoveround has created an infomercial to showcase its power wheelchair.

"We've tried to tell our story over the last 20 years in 60- second commercials," said Hoveround CEO Tom Kruse. "We've never been able to tell the story—not only of who we are and what we do, but the effects and the outcomes of our hard work. (This) is really the only venue to do that."

During the 28.5-minute infomercial, Kruse travels around the country to speak with four people about how using a Hoveround power wheelchair has changed their lives.

Those testimonials are interspersed with product information and what Kruse describes as "calls to action."

"You have to try to get people that have a need to call you—if you don't have those calls to action, it doesn't work," said Kruse.

Kruse said he wanted to make sure that the commercial explains what is needed to obtain payment from CMS or commercial payers, including a face-to-face examination from a doctor and proof that no other home medical equipment could provide the user with mobility in the home.

"It's not, 'If you want a chair then someone will buy it for you,'" Kruse said. "Only about 8% of the people who call us qualify. But when the right people are getting these chairs, the efficacy of that benefit is second to none."

Rick Perrotta, president of Network Medical Supply, a power wheelchair provider in Charlotte, N.C., said the infomercial is “well done” and its depiction of what powered mobility devices can do for people is "very accurate.”

"It was a nice piece," said Perrotta. "He's smart in selling the lifestyle message."

The infomercial is slated for nationwide release in January. It can also be seen on Hoveround's website.

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