Original Medicare (Part B) covers walkers, canes, wheelchairs, scooters and hospital beds as durable medical equipment when a doctor or other provider orders them for use in your home and the supplier is enrolled in Medicare. After the yearly deductible, you pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount. A lift chair is different: Medicare can help with the seat-lift mechanism under strict rules, not the chair, and it does not cover stair lifts. New York Medicaid can pay for some items Medicare does not.
What equipment does Medicare Part B cover, and what are the basic rules?
According to Medicare.gov, durable medical equipment (DME) can withstand repeated use, serves a medical reason, is typically useful only to someone sick or injured, is used in your home and should last at least three years. Part B covers it when it is medically necessary and your provider orders it for home use.
| Item | Original Medicare | Main condition |
|---|---|---|
| Canes, crutches, walkers (including rollators) | Covered | Medical need for help getting around the home, ordered by a provider |
| Manual wheelchair | Covered | Mobility problem in the home that a cane or walker does not solve |
| Power wheelchair, scooter | Covered, stricter | Face-to-face exam, written order, some models need prior authorization |
| Hospital bed | Covered if criteria are met | Positioning or attachments not possible in an ordinary bed |
| Seat-lift mechanism (lift chair) | Mechanism only, narrow criteria | See the lift chair section below |
| Stair lift (stairway elevator), bathtub lift | Not covered | Listed as convenience items, not primarily medical |
Three rules apply to almost everything in the table. The equipment must be for use in your home. A doctor, nurse practitioner, physician assistant or clinical nurse specialist must write the order. And the supplier must be enrolled in Medicare, even if it is a large chain or department store, according to the CMS booklet on DME.
What will you pay: the 20% coinsurance, rental or purchase?
The Part B deductible is $283 in 2026, and Medicare.gov lists 20% of the Medicare-approved amount for wheelchairs, walkers, hospital beds and other DME. That holds if the supplier accepts assignment; a non-participating supplier may charge more. For rented equipment, confirm assignment for every rental month, or you may have to pay the full cost upfront and wait for Medicare to reimburse its share. A Medigap policy can help with out-of-pocket costs; see also our Part B costs guide.
| Type of item | How Medicare pays |
|---|---|
| Canes, walkers | Medicare buys inexpensive or routinely purchased items |
| Manual wheelchairs, hospital beds | Rental for up to 13 months of continuous use, then the supplier must transfer ownership to you |
| Complex rehabilitative power wheelchairs | Purchased |
| Repairs to equipment you own | Medicare pays 80% of the approved amount, up to the cost of replacing the item; you pay 20% |
A Medicare Advantage plan must cover the same categories of medically necessary DME, but suppliers and costs depend on the plan, so call it first. See Medicare Advantage versus Original Medicare.
Does Medicare cover walkers and canes?
Yes. Medicare.gov says Part B covers walkers, including rollators, if a provider prescribes them for use in your home, and you can use any Medicare-approved supplier to repair a walker you own. Canes are on the list too, but Medicare does not cover white canes for the blind.
Medicare’s national rule for mobility equipment (NCD 280.3) asks whether a cane or walker could solve the person’s mobility problem in the home before a wheelchair is considered.
Does Medicare cover wheelchairs and scooters?
Yes, with conditions. The CMS fact sheet on wheelchairs and scooters (April 2026) requires a written order from your treating doctor for use in your home, and you must meet all of these:
- A health condition that causes significant difficulty moving around your home.
- You cannot do daily activities like bathing, dressing or using the bathroom, even with a cane, crutch or walker.
- You can safely operate and get on and off the device, or someone is always available to help.
- Both the doctor and the supplier accept Medicare.
- The doctor or supplier has visited your home and verified the equipment fits, for example through doorways.
For a power wheelchair or scooter you also need a face-to-face exam before the written order. Certain power wheelchair models need prior authorization, which the supplier normally requests for you. Medicare will not cover one you only use outside the home. The fact sheet warns that offers of a “free” wheelchair or scooter are signs of fraud.
Does Medicare cover hospital beds?
It may. Under NCD 280.7, the prescription must show the condition requires positioning in ways not feasible in an ordinary bed, or attachments that cannot be used on one. Height adjustment and electric controls can be covered in documented cases. If someone spends most of the day in bed, see home care for a bedridden patient.
Does Medicare cover lift chairs?
Only partly. A lift chair has two parts: a motorized seat-lift mechanism and the chair around it. Medicare policy treats the mechanism as DME. The CMS billing article says that when the lift is built into a chair, the supplier bills the lift under its own code and bills the chair separately under code A9270, a code for items Medicare does not pay. For a unit that also reclines, NCD 280.4 limits payment to the amount payable for a seat lift without the recliner feature. So a “lift chair recliner” does not change what Medicare helps with.
Medicare’s coverage policy for seat lift mechanisms (revised for services on or after 2 July 2023) requires all four of these:
- Severe arthritis of the hip or knee, or a severe neuromuscular disease.
- The mechanism is part of the treating practitioner’s course of treatment.
- The person is completely incapable of standing up from a regular armchair or any chair in their home.
- Once standing, the person can walk.
The policy adds that difficulty getting up, particularly from a low chair, is not enough, because most people who can walk can rise from an ordinary chair with the right seat height and arms. Spring-release lifts that jolt a person upward are excluded. If you have Medicaid, see getting a lift chair through NYC Medicaid.
| Lift chair question | Original Medicare | New York Medicaid (fee-for-service) |
|---|---|---|
| What is paid | The seat-lift mechanism; the chair is billed separately | Only a separate seat-lift mechanism for patient-owned furniture |
| Lift built into furniture | Lift code for the mechanism, separate line for the chair | Not billable as a seat-lift mechanism |
| Medical criteria | Four criteria above | The same four criteria, with the physician’s record showing therapies such as medication and physical therapy were tried |
The Medicaid column comes from the state’s DME coverage guidelines (effective 1 July 2026).
Does Medicare cover stair lifts and home modifications?
No. Medicare’s durable medical equipment reference list (NCD 280.1) says “deny” for stairway elevators and bathtub lifts, calling them convenience items that are not primarily medical in nature. So a chair lift for stairs sits outside the DME benefit. Other routes depend on your coverage:
- Medicare Advantage. Check the plan’s Evidence of Coverage for supplemental benefits.
- NY Medicaid managed long term care. The state’s model handbook lists “social and environmental supports,” such as chore services, home modifications or respite. The model contract also describes environmental modifications for members who qualify under the Community First Choice Option, which requires a nursing home level of care. Approval of a particular stair lift is decided case by case.
- Home changes. See our guides to home modifications and ramps in NYC apartments.
Does competitive bidding affect which supplier you can use?
Medicare’s competitive bidding program is being restarted. The CMS fact sheet (updated 8 December 2025) lists the next round’s categories, such as glucose monitors, insulin pumps, urological and ostomy supplies and off-the-shelf braces. Walkers, wheelchairs and hospital beds are not on the list. New contracts are targeted to start by 1 January 2028, and CMS calls its dates targets.
How do you get Medicare to cover equipment, step by step?
- Ask the doctor for an order. Describe how the person really manages at home, including falls and stairs.
- Get the face-to-face exam if it is a power wheelchair or scooter.
- Find an enrolled supplier. Use the Medicare supplier directory and ask: Are you enrolled in Medicare? Do you accept assignment? Will you bill Medicare for me?
- Let the supplier request prior authorization if the model needs it.
- Know who to call. A supplier must repair rented equipment. If it does not respond, call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227, TTY 1-877-486-2048).
What does New York Medicaid cover for medical equipment?
The state’s DMEPOS policy manual (effective 1 July 2026) sets the process for fee-for-service Medicaid:
- A physician, dentist, podiatrist, physician assistant or nurse practitioner must sign a written order, which can be filled for up to 365 days.
- The supplier must be enrolled in Medicaid, and the choice of supplier is yours.
- Some items, and items not listed in the code manual, need prior approval, which is valid for 6 months and does not guarantee payment.
- If the length of need is under 10 months, the equipment is rented first.
If you have both Medicare and Medicaid, the manual says the supplier must show Medicare’s approval or denial before asking Medicaid, and an approved Medicare claim crosses over to Medicaid for the coinsurance and deductible. With a Medicare Advantage plan, check with the plan first. DME is part of the benefit package in the state’s managed long term care program. See Medicare versus Medicaid, what Medicaid covers for home care and PACE versus MLTC.
What if your equipment request is denied?
Denials can be appealed. Ask the doctor and supplier for records that strengthen the case first.
- Original Medicare. Medicare.gov says there are generally 5 levels of appeal, and each decision letter explains the next step. A denied power wheelchair prior authorization can be resubmitted.
- Free counseling. New York’s HIICAP program answers Medicare questions at 1-800-701-0501.
- MLTC plan. Under the state’s model handbook, you have 60 days from the notice to appeal to the plan, or 10 days to keep an authorized service going. A standard appeal is decided within 30 days, a fast track one within 72 hours.
- State Fair Hearing. If the plan upholds its decision, you have 120 calendar days. The Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance takes requests at 1 (800) 342-3334.
Are there free or loaner options in New York?
Yes, and they are worth checking while an approval or appeal is pending. Our guide to free medical equipment in New York covers insurance routes and loaner programs.
What safety steps matter most with walkers, wheelchairs and chairs?
The National Institute on Aging says a cane or walker must be the right size, and walker wheels should roll smoothly. If you borrow equipment, ask your provider to check its size and safety. A physical or occupational therapist can help you choose and learn to use a device. Tell your doctor about any fall, even without pain.
At home, the NIA advises handrails on both sides of stairs, no throw rugs, grab bars near toilets and tubs, and sofas and chairs at the right height. CDC STEADI adds staying active and removing clutter. More in our fall prevention guide for NYC apartments.
Mobility, falls and the home: advice from our nurse director
Anna Klyauzova, RN, MSN, MPA, Director of Patient Services at ProLife Home Care, on what she sees in practice:
A registered nurse (RN) from the agency usually does the first assessment. She checks whether the person can stand, walk, dress, bathe and use the toilet alone, whether there is a risk of falls, and how safe the home is. We look closely at what the person can really do, not just what they say they can do. If the person starts falling more or moving worse, the plan changes.
We are a licensed home care agency in Brooklyn and Queens, licence #2572L001, New York State Department of Health. If you are working out what help a parent needs at home, we can talk through your home care options. Call (718) 232-2777 or use our contact page.
Medicare and Medicaid rules, supplier lists and competitive bidding dates change. Everything above was checked on 15 October 2026 against medicare.gov, cms.gov, emedny.org, health.ny.gov, nia.nih.gov, cdc.gov and shiphelp.org. Confirm your own situation with the person’s doctor, your plan, your Medicare-enrolled supplier or 1-800-MEDICARE. This page is general information, not medical or legal advice.
Frequently asked questions
Does Medicare cover lift chairs?
Only the seat-lift mechanism, and only if the person has severe hip or knee arthritis or a severe neuromuscular disease, cannot stand from any chair at home and can walk once standing. The chair is billed separately and you pay for it.
Does Medicare cover a lift chair recliner?
Medicare’s national rule limits payment for a unit with a recliner feature to the amount payable for a seat lift without that feature. The recliner and the chair are not what Medicare pays for.
Does Medicare cover stair lifts?
No. Medicare’s equipment list denies stairway elevators and bathtub lifts as convenience items that are not primarily medical. A Medicare Advantage plan or New York Medicaid managed long term care plan may have other options.
Does Medicare cover walkers?
Yes. Part B covers walkers, including rollators, if a provider prescribes one for use in your home. After the deductible you pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount if the supplier accepts assignment.
Does Medicare cover wheelchairs?
Yes. Part B covers manual and power wheelchairs and scooters for use in the home when the criteria are met. Power wheelchairs and scooters require a face-to-face exam and a written order, and some power wheelchairs need prior authorization.
Does Medicare pay to rent or buy equipment?
Both, depending on the item. Medicare buys inexpensive items such as canes and walkers. For some equipment, such as wheelchairs and hospital beds, it pays rent for 13 months of continuous use, after which the supplier must transfer ownership to you.
Does New York Medicaid cover lift chairs, walkers and wheelchairs?
Medicaid covers equipment ordered by a practitioner from a Medicaid-enrolled supplier, sometimes with prior approval. For a lift chair, the state covers only a separate seat-lift mechanism for patient-owned furniture, under the same four medical criteria Medicare uses.
