There are some devices available to your aging loved one that will make living at home easier.
Sometimes they are absolutely necessary to continue to live at home safely.
These devices are often referred to as home medical equipment.
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Examples of home medical equipment
Where can I find home medical equipment?
Will Medicare, Medicaid or my insurance cover the cost of home medical equipment?
What if we can't afford to purchase the equipment and it is not covered by Medicare or our insurance company?
Examples of home medical equipment
walkers 
canes
wheelchairs
grab bars…(bars that are secured to the wall for your aging loved one to grab onto)
reachers…(a device that helps pick things up off the floor and get things that are out of reach)
commode… (portable toilets) 
toilet risers…(a “booster seat” for the toilet for people who have difficulty getting onto and off of the toilet)
shower chair…(benches that are made to set in the shower or bathtub for people who have difficulty standing for a prolonged period of time, or have difficulty getting into and out of the bathtub)
oxygen concentrators…(a machine that filters “room air”, which is 21% oxygen, into a higher concentrated oxygen)
nebulizers…(for people needing breathing treatments)
hospital beds 
lift chairs…(a chair with a motor that is able to be raised and lowered at the touch of a button)
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Where can I find home medical equipment?
There are stores that specialize in home medical equipment and carry most items. Usually, if something you need is not in the store, they can special order the items you are looking for. They are referred to as HME (home medical equipment) or DME (durable medical equipment) stores.
(click here for DIRECTORY of HME)
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Will Medicare, Medicaid or my insurance cover the cost of home medical equipment?
Determining if Medicare will cover the cost of any equipment can be tricky. The most common misunderstanding people have is that they believe, or may have been misinformed, Medicare will help with the cost of the equipment if they have a prescription.
For any reimbursement from Medicare, you will definately need a prescription, but there may also be certain criteria to meet in order to qualify for coverage.
For example, to purchase a commode, the person must be confined to a room or floor with no bathroom facilities. It does not matter if that person has a difficulty getting from the bedroom to the bathroom "in time" or safely. If the bathroom is located on the same floor, a commode will not be covered. They also do not cover any bathroom equipment such as shower chair, toilet risers, grab bars or any adaptive equipment (reachers, sock aids, or button hooks, etc.).
It simply does not make much sense that Medicare would rather cover the cost of a hip replacement than help pay for some of this equipment that would surely prevent falls and/or injuries. (link to write to Congress regarding this issue)
The basic rule of thumb for insurance and Medicaid is that if Medicare doesn't pay for it, they won't |
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