Will Medicare Cover A Walk In Tub

Medicare sometimes considers walk in tub as durable and effective medical equipment for seniors who need special care when looking for a comfortable and safe bath.

Will medicare cover a walk in tub.

This use of walk in tubs fits loosely into the criteria specified by the cmc. If you qualify for medicaid your state. Learning that medicare doesn t cover walk in tubs can be disappointing. Although medicare expanded supplemental benefits in 2018 medicaid is still the more likely of the two programs to cover the costs of purchasing and installing a walk in bathtub.

The claim process has proven successful for many although not all seniors or those with. Financial assistance however is by no means guaranteed. Unlike hospital beds wheelchairs catheters blood glucose monitors or nebulizers a walk in bathtub can be used by anyone. Walk in tubs are not considered dmes and are not covered under medicare.

Home buyers guides does medicare cover walk in tubs. Walk in bathtubs are generally not covered by medicare because they are not considered durable medical equipment. Unfortunately medicare usually does not consider a walk in tub as durable medical equipment dme and will not be covered by your insurance. The guidance by the cmc could be interpreted with an understanding that some medicare advantage plans can cover the cost of a walk in tub.

In april of 2018 the centers for medicare and medicaid services cms announced the expansion of health related supplemental benefits through medicare. 2020 update mary white september 8 2020 august 29 2020. In order to get any reimbursement you will have to file a claim with medicare and have a written prescription from your doctor. While medicare doesn t typically cover walk in bathtubs if you get both medicare and medicaid benefits you might qualify for a dual eligible special needs plan.

There is no guarantee medicare will assist with or pay for the purchase of a walk in tub. 2020 update does medicare cover walk in tubs. While a walk in tub is not typically covered by medicare you may be able to get some type of reimbursement after you ve purchased the tub and had it installed in your home. Although in rare instances a walk in tub may be part of a written prescription for a medical diagnosis most likely there would be only reimbursement in these cases.

While getting original medicare to cover the cost of walk in tubs is very difficult medicare advantage regulated by medicare but run by private insurance companies may be a different story. Medicare may reimburse the costs of a walk in tub fully or partially. Unfortunately walk in tubs are also fairly expensive with the most basic wheelchair accessible models starting at around 3000. After all for many people a walk in tub is a helpful piece of equipment one that makes bath time much safer and promotes independence.