Does Medicare Pay for Mobility Scooters?
Navigate Medicare's coverage for mobility scooters. Understand eligibility, necessary steps, and your financial responsibilities for essential home mobility.
Medicare can help cover the cost of mobility scooters, which are classified as durable medical equipment (DME). This coverage is not automatic; it depends on meeting specific medical necessity criteria and following a defined process. Understanding these conditions and procedures is important for beneficiaries seeking assistance with mobility device expenses.
Medicare’s Coverage for Mobility Devices
Mobility scooters are Durable Medical Equipment (DME) covered by Medicare Part B. DME refers to equipment that can withstand repeated use, is primarily for a medical purpose, is used in the home, and is expected to last at least three years. For Medicare to cover a mobility device, it must be medically necessary, meaning it is required to diagnose or treat an illness, injury, or condition, and meets accepted medical standards.
A physician or other healthcare provider enrolled in Medicare must prescribe the device for use in the beneficiary’s home. The requirement for home use means the device must primarily address mobility limitations within the home environment. This coverage is specifically for individuals with limited mobility due to a health condition that significantly impairs their ability to move around their home.
The beneficiary must be unable to perform daily activities like bathing, dressing, or using the bathroom, even with the help of less supportive mobility aids such as a cane, crutch, or walker. The device must also be appropriate for the home environment, ensuring it can be used safely and fit through doorways.
Classifying Mobility Devices for Medicare Coverage
Medicare categorizes power mobility devices into Power Operated Vehicles (POVs), or scooters, and Power Wheelchairs (PWCs). Both are covered under Medicare Part B as Durable Medical Equipment (DME). The primary distinction between these devices relates to the severity of the beneficiary’s mobility limitations and their physical capabilities.
POVs, or scooters, are for individuals who can stand, transfer, and maintain trunk control to safely operate the device. To qualify for a scooter, a beneficiary must be able to get in and out of it safely and be strong enough to sit up and operate the controls.
Power Wheelchairs (PWCs) are prescribed for those with more severe mobility limitations who cannot operate a manual wheelchair or a scooter. This includes individuals who lack the upper body strength or trunk control required for a scooter. The choice between a scooter and a power wheelchair depends on an assessment of the individual’s functional deficits and ability to safely operate each device within their home.
Steps to Obtain Coverage
The process for obtaining Medicare coverage begins with a face-to-face examination by a doctor or other Medicare-enrolled practitioner. This examination must address the patient’s mobility needs and limitations within their home.
Following the examination, the doctor must provide a written prescription or detailed order for the mobility device. This order must be completed within 45 days of the face-to-face encounter and include documentation of the medical necessity. The doctor’s records must indicate that the patient cannot safely use a cane, walker, or manual wheelchair, and that the scooter is necessary to perform mobility-related activities of daily living in the home.
Once the prescription is issued, the beneficiary must work with a Medicare-approved supplier. The supplier assists with prior authorization requests if required and is responsible for submitting the claim to Medicare. The prescribed device must be delivered within 120 days of the face-to-face examination.
Understanding Your Financial Responsibility
Beneficiaries have financial responsibilities for durable medical equipment like mobility scooters. Mobility scooters are covered under Medicare Part B, meaning beneficiaries are subject to the Part B annual deductible. For 2025, the annual deductible for Medicare Part B beneficiaries is $257.
After meeting the deductible, Medicare Part B pays 80% of the Medicare-approved amount for the mobility scooter. The beneficiary is responsible for the remaining 20% coinsurance. This coinsurance applies whether the device is rented or purchased.
Choosing a supplier who accepts “assignment” helps manage out-of-pocket costs. When a supplier accepts assignment, they agree to accept the Medicare-approved amount as full payment. They can only charge the beneficiary the applicable deductible and 20% coinsurance, preventing additional charges. If a supplier does not accept assignment, they may charge more than the Medicare-approved amount, and the beneficiary could be responsible for the full cost.