Stair Chair Lift Medicare Coverage

Original medicare might pay for a small portion of the cost if the stair lift has an elevating seat which helps the rider to sit down and get up from the chair safely.

Stair chair lift medicare coverage. Medicare won t cover chairs that use a spring device to lift you out. Don t confuse a lift chair with a stair lift chair which is a motorized chair that takes you up and down the stairs. However lift chairs can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars leaving many medicare beneficiaries wondering if their medicare health insurance coverage will help pay any of the lift chair s costs. 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.

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. However such a feature would only be available in a high end stair chair which would cost considerably more than the amount original medicare would reimburse the purchaser. Part b will cover the actual seat lift mechanism only. Does medicare cover stair lifts for the home.

Learn about patient lift coverage options with medicare. Stair lifts can cost thousands of dollars and many seniors wonder if medicare will help cover the cost. Lift chairs are also different from patient lifts which come in different forms and are used to help a caregiver or family member move you for example from a wheelchair to a bed. 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.

The fabric cushion and other accessories aren t covered even though the device is built into the chair. While medicare typically won t pay for a lift chair in full medicare part b medical insurance or medicare part c medicare. To be considered medically necessary equipment a doctor must indicate the chair for the patient s specific health condition. Some medicare advantage plans may cover the cost of a stairlift.

While patient lifts are listed on medicare s website as part of dme coverage stair lifts unfortunately do not fall into this category. Will medicare pay for a lift chair. Coverage info for patient lifts costs for home. As a result medicare does not cover it.

Get help you need with medicare learn more. Paying for a stair lift. Once the lift chair gets approval medicare covers 80 of the lifting mechanism. Medicare advantage plans are an additional way to receive medicare coverage.

Stair lifts are considered a home modification which isn t covered under medicare guidelines.