Medicare Electric Wheelchair

Wheelchairs are considered durable medical equipment dme under medicare guidelines.

Medicare electric wheelchair.

Medicare s wheelchair scooter benefit revised october 2019 medicare part b medical insurance covers power operated vehicles scooters walkers and wheelchairs as durable medical equipment dme. Here s a breakdown of how it works. Electric wheelchairs are heavier compared to regular wheelchairs because if the added wright of batteries motors and sturdier frames. Medicare part b covers electric wheelchairs under its durable medical equipment dme coverage.

If eligible medicare will pay 80 percent of the cost after she meets her 147 part b deductible. Getting an electric powered mobility scooter or wheelchair for your mom that s covered by original medicare starts with a visit to her doctor s office. Medicare part b medical insurance covers power operated vehicles scooters and manual wheelchairs as durable medical equipment dme that your doctor prescribes for use in your home. If your pcp determines that it is medically necessary that you use a power wheelchair or scooter they should sign an order prescription or certificate after a face to face office visit.

The part b. She will be responsible for the remaining 20 percent. In order to qualify for part b medicare coverage of your wheelchair or other mobility device you must meet the following conditions. Starting september 1 2018 these 33 types of power wheelchairs require prior authorization before medicare will pay for them.

Your provider must request prior authorization for original medicare to cover certain. Power wheelchairs and power operated vehicles also known povs or scooters are collectively classified as power mobility devices pmds and are covered under the medicare part b benefit. The degree of complexity in electric powered wheelchairs also ranges greatly from simply employing regular batteries along with a joy stick controller all the way up to utilizing microprocessor operated. You must have a face to face examination and a written prescription from a doctor or other treating provider before medicare helps pay for a power wheelchair.

Effective may 5 2005 cms revised. The next step is figuring out how much the scooter will cost. Cms defines a pmd as a covered item of dme that includes a power wheelchair or a pov that a beneficiary uses in the home. However to be approved for an electric wheelchair through medicare you must meet certain criteria.

For power scooters you ll most likely pay 20 percent of the medicare approved amount. If you think you need a power wheelchair or scooter first speak to your doctor or primary care provider pcp. If your doctor prescribes a scooter as a type of dme then you re good to go. You must meet all of the following requirements for medicare to pay for an electric wheelchair.