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Squatch33 Asked January 2021

Confusion about Medicare covering medically-necessary wheelchair. Any help?

I'm confused (as usual) about Medicare coverage for DME. Mom is in a skilled nursing facility as a long term care resident. She was there for rehab earlier this year and used all her 100 days. She is private pay.


The local wheelchair equipment place gave her a "loaner" wheelchair in June. (We thought this was the final wheelchair--still not clear on that.) Now they're calling saying they need their wheelchair back, or we can pay to buy it. They say Medicare does not cover it since she's in SNF.


If the nursing home is her home, and she needs it (prescribed by dr) what am I missing about Medicare coverage? We are looking at moving to an assisted living facility in the next couple months and they said they would then cover it.

JoAnn29 Jan 2021
Medicare is weird about some things. Maybe its felt the facility provides them. In my Moms case they did.

Ask the SW at the NH, or whoever orders Durable equipment for the residents, how do they go about getting wheelschairs for residents.

97yroldmom Jan 2021
Call a DME Co in your moms area. She will need a prescription from her doctor but the DME Co will know if her insurance will cover and how to make it happen. They will even tell the doctor how to write the prescription if necessary. This was my experience. Others may have done something different.

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