Does Medicare Cover Home Stair Lifts

Since original medicare does not help neither would a supplemental or medigap policy.

Does medicare cover home stair lifts.

While patient lifts are listed on medicare s website as part of dme coverage stair lifts unfortunately do not fall into this category. These policies are intended to help with co payments and deductibles for goods and services covered by original medicare. To be eligible your doctor must determine that the device is medically necessary because. Unfortunately standard health insurance policies and medicare will not typically cover the purchase or installation of a stair lift even with a doctor s order.

In some cases individuals eligible for medicaid may get assistance paying for a stair lift through home and community based services. Medicare supplemental insurance policies also do not cover stair lifts. They consider it a home modification which isn t covered by their guidelines. If these would help you take a look at the list of approved suppliers by visiting the medicare gov website.

Your health condition would be improved by moving periodically. The cost of a straight rail stair lift is typically around 2 200 to 5 000 with installation based upon the make and model. In addition there are several private foundations that may help to pay to have acorn stairway lifts installed in homes of persons needing the help a stairlift could give. Your costs in original medicare if your supplier accepts assignment you pay 20 of the medicare approved amount and the part b deductible applies.

Medicare part b may cover a patient lift for you to use in your home if medically necessary and prescribed by your doctor. So lifts that move a person up and down stairs wouldn t be covered. Although many people tend to disagree with this classification this is medicare s current standing on the issue. Medicare part b medical insurance covers patient lifts as durable medical equipment dme that your doctor prescribes for use in your home.

The beneficiary must pay the remaining 20 plus the cost of the seat portion of the lift chair. Stair lifts can cost thousands of dollars and many seniors wonder if medicare will help cover the cost. Once the lift chair gets approval medicare covers 80 of the lifting mechanism. Stair lifts are considered a home modification which isn t covered under medicare guidelines.

Medicare pays for different kinds of dme in different ways. According to accessible home cleveland a stair lift isn t considered to be durable medical equipment by medicare. Many types of mobility assistance devices may be covered by original medicare such as canes walkers and wheelchairs. How to determine if the lift chair is medically necessary.

While medicare does not pay for the acorn stair lifts stairlifts are often covered for persons with veteran s benefits through the va.