The question we get most often is whether Medicare pays for grab bars. It does not, and understanding why explains most of the rest.
The line Medicare draws
Medicare Part B covers durable medical equipment: items that are primarily medical, that can withstand repeated use, and that would not be useful to someone who is not sick. A hospital bed passes. A walker passes. A grab bar does not, because Medicare classifies it as a home modification and a convenience item, the same category as a raised toilet seat.
This distinction frustrates everyone, including physicians, because a $40 grab bar prevents falls that cost Medicare tens of thousands of dollars. It has not changed the rule.
What is generally covered
- Walkers, rollators and canes
- Wheelchairs and, with documentation, power mobility
- Hospital beds and pressure-relief mattresses
- Oxygen equipment
- Commodes, when the person cannot reach a bathroom
- Patient lifts
All of it requires a physician order, a face-to-face visit within six months, and a supplier enrolled in Medicare. Buying it yourself first means paying for it yourself.
What is not covered
- Grab bars and railings
- Raised toilet seats and shower chairs, in most cases
- Ramps
- Stair lifts
- Incontinence supplies, under original Medicare
- Adaptive clothing and dressing aids
Where the money can come from instead
Medicare Advantage. Many plans now include an over-the-counter benefit that covers exactly the items original Medicare will not. Check the plan's OTC catalog before paying out of pocket.
Medicaid HCBS waivers. Home and community-based waivers pay for home modifications in most states, including bathroom work. Waiting lists are long, so apply early.
VA Aid and Attendance, HISA and SAH grants. If there is any service history, this is the most generous option available and the most commonly missed.
Area Agency on Aging. Every county has one, and many run small home-modification funds nobody applies for. Call and ask specifically about a home safety or minor repair program.
HSA and FSA. Grab bars, shower chairs and raised seats are generally eligible with a letter of medical necessity, which most physicians will write in a five-minute visit.
The practical answer
Get the big equipment ordered through Medicare before discharge, when the paperwork is easiest. Buy the small safety items yourself, keep the itemized receipt, and run them through an HSA if you have one.