Let’s face it; mobility products can be expensive without the help of programs like Medicare. Medicare helps get the mobility equipment you need, but the program has its limitations. Sometimes Medicare won’t pay for certain mobility products. As a general rule, Medicare Part B will cover some or all of the costs for medically necessary durable medical equipment (DME) that a doctor has prescribed to you.
Canes
Medicare Part B will cover canes as durable medical equipment (DME) if it is prescribed by your doctor and your doctor is enrolled in Medicare. If your cane supplier accepts the assignment, Medicare will cover 80 percent of the cost of the Medicare-Approved Amount. If your cane supplier is not enrolled in Medicare, your cane will not be covered. Lastly, Medicare will not cover white canes for the blind.
Hospital Beds
If your doctor prescribes a hospital bed, Medicare will likely cover the costs. However, you will be responsible for 20 percent of the cost of renting or buying the hospital bed. Depending on the circumstances, you may need to buy or rent the hospital bed for it to be covered by Medicare Part B.
Patient Lifts
Patient transfer lifts make it easier for caregivers to transport a patient from one space to another. They reduce injuries to the patient and caregiver while also promoting safe mobility for patients. Luckily, Medicare Part B will cover some of the costs associated with obtaining a patient transfer lift.
Walkers
Medicare Part B covers walkers and rollators. They must be deemed medically necessary, which means that they must be needed to “treat an illness, injury, condition, disease, or its symptoms and that meet accepted standards of medicine.” If the walker is deemed medically necessary, it will be considered durable medical equipment.
Wheelchairs and Scooters
Your power-operated scooter, wheelchair, or manual wheelchair can be covered by Medicare Part B. It must receive a written prescription from your doctor, and you must complete a face-to-face examination. You must also meet all of these conditions:
- You have a health condition that causes significant difficulty moving around in your home.
- You’re unable to do activities of daily living (like bathing, dressing, getting in or out of a bed or chair, or using the bathroom) even with the help of a cane, crutch, or walker.
- You’re able to safely operate and get on and off the wheelchair or scooter, or have someone with you who is always available to help you safely use the device.
- Your doctor who is treating you for the condition that requires a wheelchair or scooter and your supplier are both enrolled in Medicare.
- You can use the equipment within your home (for example, it’s not too big to fit through doorways in your home or blocked by floor surfaces or things in its path).
Learn More with Freedom Mobility
The Certified Aid to Living Specialists and Certified Aging-in-Place Specialists here at Freedom Mobility are here to answer any questions you may have about Medicare and mobility equipment.
Contact us now to speak to one of our specialists.