Does Medicare Cover Shower Chairs?

No, Medicare does not pay for shower chairs, grab bars, bath benches or raised toilet seats. Its rules say they are not medical equipment. Medicare Advantage extras, Medicaid, the VA, rural repair grants and local groups may pay instead. Getting in and out of the tub may be the hardest part of your day after a fall or surgery.

You may get help paying if

• You have Medicaid, or a Medicare Advantage plan with a bath safety extra.
• You're a veteran, and your VA doctor writes a prescription for the change.
• You're 62 or older, own a home in a rural area and have a very low income.

Not sure who will pay? Ask anyway, because your local Area Agency on Aging can check what's near you, and so can a Pair Team advocate.

Who else pays for bathroom safety items

Does Medicare cover grab bars?

Medicare does not cover grab bars, because its rules call them a self-help device. That's true even with a doctor's order. A Medicare Advantage plan with a bath extra, a Medicaid home care program, the VA or Rebuilding Together may pay instead. If you pay, keep the receipt, since the IRS can count grab bars put in for a disability as a medical cost.

Does Medicare cover raised toilet seats?

Medicare does not cover raised toilet seats or toilet seat lifts, which its rules say are not medical equipment. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) runs Medicare. If a commode chair is set over your toilet, CMS counts it as a raised seat and won't pay. In some states, Medicaid pays for a raised toilet seat when your doctor prescribes it.

Does Medicare cover a bedside commode?

Yes, Medicare pays for a bedside commode if you can't use a regular toilet because:

• You're confined to one room, since leaving it isn't safe for your health, or
• You're confined to one floor of your home, and it has no toilet, or
• Your home has no toilet at all.

You pay 20% of Medicare's price after the $283 yearly deductible in 2026. Your doctor writes the order, and the supplier must be enrolled in Medicare. A wider, heavy-duty commode is covered if you weigh 300 pounds or more. See how to get medical equipment.

If Medicare says no and you qualify, you can appeal within 120 days of getting your Medicare Summary Notice. See how to appeal a Medicare denial.

How to get help with your bathroom

1. If your Medicare home health includes occupational therapy, you can ask the therapist to check your bathroom. This therapist helps with daily tasks like bathing, and Medicare's rules for home therapy list advice on home changes. Your doctor has to order it along with nursing, physical or speech therapy.
2. If you can't get to a toilet, ask your doctor about a bedside commode. Find a supplier that takes Medicare at medicare.gov/medical-equipment-suppliers.
3. If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, call before you buy. Ask what it pays for, how much, and if you need a doctor's note.
4. If you have Medicaid, ask your doctor for a prescription. Then ask your Medicaid office or plan what it pays for.
5. Call the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116 to reach your Area Agency on Aging, and ask about home repair help near you.

If you have Medicaid

Each state runs its own Medicaid, so what it pays for differs. Home care programs often pay for home changes for people who need a lot of help, and some have waitlists.

In California, see paying for home care in California.

In New York, see paying for home care in New York.

What a Pair Team advocate does

Bath help often comes up after a fall or a hospital stay. Here's what we do:

• Get a commode order from your doctor when you qualify, and find a supplier.
• Check your plan or Medicaid for bath safety extras.
• Connect you with home health, your Area Agency on Aging and local repair programs.
• Help with what usually comes with it: other equipment, rides to the doctor and help at home.

An advocate is covered by Medicare if you qualify. It takes two minutes to find out.

Check if you qualify for a Pair Team advocate

Frequently asked questions

Does Medicare cover walk-in tubs?

Medicare does not cover walk-in tubs, because they aren't medical equipment under its rules. If you're a veteran, the VA grant can help pay for a roll-in shower. Bath changes made for a disability may also count toward the medical tax deduction, the IRS says.

Does Medicare cover stair lifts?

Medicare does not cover stair lifts, which its rules group with elevators. A lift that helps you stand up from a chair is different. Medicare may pay for the lifting part if you meet strict rules. Some Medicaid home care programs pay for lifts, and the IRS can count them as a medical cost.

Will a doctor's note make Medicare pay for a shower chair?

A doctor's note will not make Medicare pay for a shower chair, grab bar or raised toilet seat. Its rules say those items are not medical, and a note can't change that. A note does help with a bedside commode, or with Medicaid or a plan that asks for one.

Does Medigap pay for bathroom safety items?

Medigap does not pay for bath items that Medicare won't cover. This extra insurance, also called Medicare Supplement Insurance, pays your share for things Medicare covers, like 20% of a commode.

Does Medicare pay for a bath lift?

Medicare does not pay for a bathtub lift or bath seat. It may pay for a patient lift that moves you from your bed to a chair or commode. You must be stuck in bed without one. Ask your doctor if you qualify.

Sources

• Durable medical equipment coverage, Medicare.gov
• Commode chairs, Medicare.gov
• Home health services, Medicare.gov
• What's Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap)?, Medicare.gov
• Durable Medical Equipment Reference List (National Coverage Determination 280.1), CMS
• Commodes (L33736), CMS Medicare Coverage Database
• Commodes policy article (A52461), CMS Medicare Coverage Database
• Toileting aids, CMS Medicare Provider Compliance Tips
• Seat Lift Mechanisms (L33801), CMS Medicare Coverage Database
• Patient Lifts (L33799), CMS Medicare Coverage Database
• Home Health Occupational Therapy (L34560), CMS Medicare Coverage Database
• 2026 Medicare Parts A and B Premiums and Deductibles, CMS
• Home Improvements and Structural Alterations, Department of Veterans Affairs
• Single Family Housing Repair Loans and Grants, USDA Rural Development
• Publication 502, Medical and Dental Expenses, IRS
• Eldercare Locator, Administration for Community Living
• Durable medical equipment fee schedule, New York State Medicaid (eMedNY)
• Compendium of Home Modification and Assistive Technology Policy and Practice Across States, ASPE
• Primarily health related supplemental benefits guidance, May 15, 2018, CMS
• Medicare Advantage 2026 Spotlight: A First Look at Plan Premiums and Benefits, KFF
• Frequently asked questions, Rebuilding Together