Stair lifts can cost thousands of dollars and many seniors wonder if medicare will help cover the cost.
Will medicare cover a stair lift.
Read on to learn more about medicare coverage of lift chairs.
These policies are intended to help with co payments and deductibles for goods and services covered by original medicare.
Paying for a stair lift.
In total medicare will pay for about 80 percent of the motorized device and you will pay for the remaining 20 percent as well as the costs for the rest of the chair.
A lift chair is different from a stair lift.
It s also different from a lift chair which is a recliner that shifts angles to either help you stand up or sit back down.
In order to qualify for this coverage you must have paid your annual part b deductible which is 185 00 in 2019.
Without the patient lift you would be confined to your bed.
While patient lifts are listed on medicare s website as part of dme coverage stair lifts unfortunately do not fall into this category.
According to accessible home cleveland a stair lift isn t considered to be durable medical equipment by medicare.
However equipment and services primarily used for self help convenience or personal comfort don t fit into medicare s definition of medically necessary durable medical equipment.
Unfortunately medicare does not cover the cost of stair lifts.
Medicare coverage for a patient lift medicare recipients who are enrolled in part b medical insurance have coverage for durable medical equipment.
They see it as more of a tool for convenience instead of a medically necessary piece of equipment.
Since original medicare does not help neither would a supplemental or medigap policy.
Please note that a patient lift is different from a stair lift which is a motorized seat that transfers you up and down the stairs.
Coverage info for patient lifts costs for home.
Does medicare pay for stair lifts this is the question that many people ask first.
09 12 2018 1 min read various types of durable medical equipment are covered under medicare part b.
Medicare s part b includes coverage for durable medical equipment dme such as wheelchairs and walkers but stair lifts are usually not included in these benefits.
Nor is it the same as a patient lift.
Learn about patient lift coverage options with medicare.
Does medicare cover stair lifts.
Does medicare cover stair lifts for the home.
A chair used to carry people up and down a staircase.
Stair lifts are considered a home modification which isn t covered under medicare guidelines.
They consider it a home.
Get help you need with medicare learn more.
Medicare supplemental insurance policies also do not cover stair lifts.
Medicare won t cover chairs that use a spring device to lift you out.
An assistive device that helps caregivers move.
First it s important to understand what a lift chair is and is not.