Does Medicare Cover Walkers and Wheelchairs?

Yes, Medicare helps pay for a walker, wheelchair, scooter or hospital bed you need at home. Getting around the house can get hard after a fall, and waiting on equipment makes it harder. Your doctor writes the order, and a supplier that works with Medicare fills it.

Medicare may pay if

• Your doctor or nurse practitioner orders it for use in your home, and the notes say why you need it.
• The item counts as medical equipment, which is usually only useful to someone sick or hurt. A doctor's order alone is not enough.
• You get it from a supplier that is enrolled in Medicare.

Not sure Medicare will pay? Ask anyway, because your doctor's office or the supplier can check. If the paperwork stalls, a Pair Team advocate can help you get it moving.

What Medicare pays for

What will I pay?

After the $283 deductible, you pay 20% of Medicare's price if the supplier accepts assignment. That means it takes Medicare's price as full payment. Other suppliers can charge you more. The usual limit on extra charges doesn't apply to some equipment, Medicare says.

For rentals, ask if the supplier accepts assignment every month. If not, you may pay the full cost up front and wait for Medicare to pay you back.

Does Medicare pay for a power wheelchair or scooter?

Yes, Medicare pays for a power wheelchair or scooter if you need it to get around inside your home. First you see your doctor in person for the order. Some power wheelchairs need Medicare's approval first, called prior authorization. The supplier sends the request, so ask when it expects an answer.

A wheelchair you need only for trips outside your home is not covered. If getting around at home is hard too, tell your doctor.

Do I rent or buy?

Most equipment is rented first. After 13 months in a row, the supplier must give it to you. Items made to fit you are usually bought, and for some power wheelchairs, you can choose.

Oxygen is rented for 36 months, and the supplier must keep serving you until 5 years after you started. Then you get new equipment and start over.

What about repairs and replacement?

Medicare can pay to replace equipment you own once you've had it at least 5 years. It can be sooner if it's lost, stolen, or ruined in an accident, fire or flood. You'll need a new order from your doctor.

Before then, Medicare can pay to repair equipment you own, up to the cost of a new one, and you pay 20%. If you rent, the supplier fixes it.

How to get equipment

1. See your doctor. Ask for a written order and a chart note on why you need it at home.
2. Find a supplier. Use Medicare's tool at medicare.gov/medical-equipment-suppliers to find one that's enrolled, or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).
3. Ask the supplier two questions. "Are you enrolled in Medicare?" and "Do you accept assignment for this item, every month?"
4. Check your Medicare Summary Notice to see what you owe. It comes in the mail.

Why Medicare says no, and what to do

Often the problem is the paperwork. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services runs Medicare. When it checked hospital bed claims in 2024, 82.6% of the payment errors came from missing or thin paperwork. Here are common reasons for a no:

• Your doctor's notes do not say why you need it at home.
• The supplier is not enrolled in Medicare.
• A power chair had no face-to-face visit or no approval.

Ask your doctor and supplier to fix the paperwork and send it again. You can also appeal within 120 days of getting your Medicare Summary Notice. See how to appeal a Medicare denial.

If you have a Medicare Advantage plan

A private Medicare plan must cover the same equipment, but you may need its approval first and a supplier in its network. In 2026, 21% of plans for individuals also offered bathroom safety devices, like grab bars, KFF found. Call your plan before you order.

What a Pair Team advocate does

Equipment orders often get stuck between the doctor's office and the supplier, sometimes right after a hospital stay. Here's what we do:

• Get the order and the chart notes Medicare needs from your doctor.
• Find a supplier that accepts assignment, and follow up until the item shows up.
• Help you appeal if Medicare says no.
• Help with what usually comes with it: home health, 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 pay for a lift chair?

Medicare pays only for the part of a lift chair that lifts the seat, not the chair. You must have severe hip or knee arthritis, or a severe nerve or muscle disease. You must also be unable to stand up from any chair at home, but able to walk once you're up. The lift must be part of your doctor's treatment, so ask if you qualify.

Does Medigap pay my 20%?

Yes, most Medigap plans pay all of your 20%, and Plans K and L pay part of it. Medigap pays nothing for items Medicare won't cover, like grab bars.

What if I have Medicare and Medicaid?

The Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB) program is one of the Medicare Savings Programs. If you have QMB, the supplier can't bill you for the 20%, with or without Medicaid. Medicaid in some states pays for a shower chair with a prescription, and home care programs may pay for grab bars. See what Medicare pays for in the bathroom.

Can I get equipment while I am in a nursing facility?

While you're in a nursing facility, the facility gives you the equipment you need. Order your own before you go home. See what Medicare pays for after a hospital stay.

What if I need help at home, not just equipment?

If you need help at home, Medicare pays for home health visits when you're homebound. For help with daily tasks, see paying for a caregiver.

Sources

• Durable medical equipment coverage, Medicare.gov
• Wheelchairs and scooters, Medicare.gov
• Hospital beds, Medicare.gov
• Oxygen equipment and accessories, Medicare.gov
• Commode chairs, Medicare.gov
• What's Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap)?, Medicare.gov
• 2026 Medicare Parts A and B Premiums and Deductibles, CMS
• Walkers, CMS Medicare Provider Compliance Tips
• Hospital beds and accessories, CMS Medicare Provider Compliance Tips
• Durable Medical Equipment Reference List (National Coverage Determination 280.1), CMS
• Commodes (L33736) and Commodes policy article (A52461), CMS Medicare Coverage Database
• Seat Lift Mechanisms (L33801), CMS Medicare Coverage Database
• First level of appeal: redetermination, CMS
• Find medical equipment and suppliers, Medicare.gov
• Replacement, Noridian (Medicare DME contractor)
• Renting and buying DME, Medicare Interactive
• Durable medical equipment, Center for Medicare Advocacy
• Medicare Advantage 2026 Spotlight: A First Look at Plan Premiums and Benefits, KFF