What is Medicare?

Medicare is a federally funded program that is designed to provide health insurance to people age 65 and over, as well as certain individuals with disabilities. Some of these individuals include people who are blind, totally and permanently disabled and have been receiving Social Security disability payments for 24 months, or who have end-stage renal disease. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) runs the Medicare program, while the Social Security Administration helps by enrolling qualified participants into the program. A question that many mobility scooter owners have is, “Does Medicare pay for scooter lifts?”.

Will Medicare Pay for Scooter Lifts?

In short, no, Medicare will not pay for a scooter lift for your car or van. While Medicare covers a wide range of equipment to use within your home, they do not cover scooter lifts for your car. Medicare Part B specifically covers a portion of the purchase or lease of certain approved types of durable medical equipment (DME). Unfortunately, Part B does not cover things like wheelchair ramps, walk-in tubs or scooter lifts for your car.

How Medicare Works

Medicare has several parts. Part B, which we discussed earlier, is the medical insurance part of Medicare that pays for DME. This includes an electric wheelchair, mobility scooter or power lift recliner.  For Part B carriers to reimburse for DME, such as a power mobility device, certain conditions must be met.

In order for Medicare to cover the durable medical equipment, the device must be deemed medically necessary and reasonable, either in the treatment of an injury or illness or in improving the function of an impaired body part. It must also be for use primarily in the individual’s home, which is why scooter lifts for your vehicle are not covered.

To be considered for coverage by Medicare, the Medicare beneficiary must have a face-to-face mobility-focused examination and a written prescription from a doctor or other treating practitioner, and the equipment must be medically necessary based on Medicare’s coverage guidelines.

Learn More

To learn more about what durable medical equipment Medicare covers and Medicare’s coverage guidelines, you can check out their website at medicare.gov or speak with a representative over the phone.