Does Medicare Cover Wheelchair Ramps? 

These days, more and more seniors want to stay in their own homes as they get older. Aging in place can help you maintain your quality of life, independence, and your connection to friends and family. 

While many seniors are able to live alone in their homes without assistance, others have medical issues or disabilities that require certain home safety equipment to make aging in place more feasible and comfortable. You might need to add wheelchair ramps to your home if you use a wheelchair or an electric scooter, or if you have trouble walking up steps without assistance.

Wheelchair ramps are inclined planes made of wood, aluminum, or steel that provide easier access into the home from outside or inside the home covering stairs or uneven passageways. Costs can vary, but will Medicare help cover the expense?

Does Medicare cover wheelchair ramps for your home? 

Original Medicare Part B (medical insurance) doesn’t cover home safety equipment or modifications you make to your home to enhance safety or comfort, including wheelchair ramps. If you choose to purchase home safety devices, you will likely have to pay out of pocket.

Medicare Part B only covers durable medical equipment (DME) that your physician prescribes as medically necessary to treat a medical condition. Some examples of Medicare-covered DME that can help with your mobility are wheelchairs, crutches, walkers, scooters, etc. 

Medicare Part B pays for 80 percent of the Medicare-approved cost to rent or purchase medically necessary DME if a health care provider who accepts Medicare assignment prescribes it. You would need to get it from a medical supplier who also accepts Medicare assignment. 

If you’re enrolled in a Medicare Advantage (MA) plan, you might have additional coverage for certain home safety equipment and structural modifications that Original Medicare doesn’t cover. This depends on the type of MA plan you have and the benefits provided within your specific plan.

Some Medicare Advantage Special Needs Plans may offer special supplemental benefits which cover wheelchair ramps for people who are chronically ill with conditions such as:

• Alzheimer’s disease and/or other forms of dementia
• Metastatic cancer
• Rheumatoid arthritis

To meet eligibility, your health care provider must certify that there is a reasonable expectation that your current health or level of function will improve or remain the same after the installation of the home safety equipment (like wheelchair ramps). 

If you aren’t sure what type of equipment is covered by your Medicare Advantage plan, or whether you are eligible for the benefit, you should contact your provider for details before making modifications to your home. 

How much do wheelchair ramps cost without Medicare insurance coverage? 

The amount you pay for your wheelchair ramp depends on the length, material used, and labor costs where you live. On average across the country, you’ll probably pay between $50 and $250 per linear foot. Your costs can add up quickly when you make your ramp compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) which states that your ramp can’t rise more than one inch for every foot of length. Labor costs vary greatly by location, but the national average for the wheelchair ramp is $1050 to $3300.