Do you have a severe mobility issue? Is it difficult enough to get around that you’re thinking about getting a wheelchair (powered or otherwise)?
Do you have Medicare?
If you answered yes to those questions, one of the obvious questions that follow from them is: ‘How much does Medicare pay for a power wheelchair?’
The short answer is:
Usually, 80%, but there’s more to it than that, and in this article, we’ll step you through the process, so if you need one, you can get one.
Here’s what you need to know:
First and foremost, you have to have a medical condition that impacts your mobility. There has to be a formal diagnosis from your doctor, and the condition has to be serious enough that it impacts your daily living activities. Basically, your doctor will give you a written prescription for a wheelchair, and this is the documentation you’ll need to submit to Medicare.
Second, you have to be able to safely operate the chair, or be sure you’ve got help in the form of a readily available assistant if you’re unable to operate it on your own. Additionally, of course, you have to be able to use the equipment in your home.
If you live in a tiny home or apartment where even getting a power wheelchair through the front door, and insufficient space to use it effectively, you’re likely to encounter hurdles to getting one, and honestly, even if you did, it probably wouldn’t be of much benefit to you.
Assuming you’ve got the written prescription from your doctor, you’ll need to be sure you buy your chair through a DME (Durable Medical Equipment Supplier) that accepts Medicare payments. Then, it’s just a matter of picking the one you want from the selection offered by that provider and covered by Medicare, and arranging to have it delivered.
In most cases, you can expect to pay 20% of the cost out of pocket, with Medicare picking up the remaining 80%.