Does Medicare Cover Wheelchairs, Walkers, and Scooters?

What mobility devices does Medicare cover?

Medicare treats mobility aids as durable medical equipment (DME) — reusable medical equipment ordered by your doctor for use in your home. DME mobility devices are covered under Medicare Part B (medical insurance).

Coverage is built on medical necessity and home use. The device has to be prescribed because you have a health condition that limits your mobility, and it must be something you need inside your home, not only for outings or recreation.

• Canes — covered when medically necessary. Note: Medicare does NOT cover white canes used for the blind.
• Crutches — covered when prescribed as medically necessary for home use.
• Walkers, including rollators (wheeled walkers with a seat and brakes) — covered when medically necessary and prescribed for home use.
• Manual wheelchairs — covered when you can't safely use a cane or walker but can self-propel or have help.
• Power wheelchairs and scooters (power-operated vehicles) — covered with additional rules, including a face-to-face exam and written order.

What will I pay out of pocket?

If your supplier accepts assignment (agrees to the Medicare-approved amount as full payment), your costs under Original Medicare are straightforward once you meet your annual deductible.

In a competitive bidding area, Medicare pays 80% of the program payment amount after any unmet Part B deductible, and you pay the rest. Using a supplier that does not accept assignment can mean higher charges.

• 2026 Part B annual deductible: $283 — you pay this first.
• After the deductible, you pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount; Medicare pays 80%.
• 2026 standard Part B premium: $202.90 per month (you must be enrolled in Part B for DME coverage).
• Both your treating doctor and the DME supplier must be enrolled in Medicare. If a supplier doesn't accept assignment, you may be charged more.

Extra rules for power wheelchairs and scooters

Medicare scrutinizes power mobility devices more closely than simple aids like canes. The standard is whether you have a mobility limitation that significantly impairs your ability to do mobility-related activities of daily living (MRADLs) in your home — things like toileting, feeding, dressing, grooming, and bathing.

Medicare also expects simpler, less costly options to be ruled out first. A power device is covered only if the limitation can't be sufficiently and safely resolved by a properly fitted cane or walker — and for a power wheelchair, only if you lack enough upper-body strength to self-propel a manual wheelchair in the home. That is why your doctor may ask whether a cane or walker would meet your needs: Medicare requires documentation that those options aren't enough.

Importantly, the device must be needed within the home. Medicare will not cover a scooter or power wheelchair that you need only for use outside the home or primarily for leisure or recreation.

• Face-to-face examination with your treating provider is required before a power wheelchair or scooter.
• A written prescription/order from that provider is required.
• Certain power wheelchairs require prior authorization before Medicare will pay — your supplier usually submits the request and documentation to Medicare for you.
• The need must be for getting around inside your home; outdoor- or recreation-only use is not covered.

Do I rent or buy — and the 13-month rule

Depending on the equipment, you may rent the item, buy it, or choose to rent or buy. Many standard wheelchairs are paid on a 'capped rental' basis rather than purchased up front.

Under capped rental, Medicare pays a monthly rental amount for up to 13 months of continuous use. After 13 months, ownership transfers to you and the device becomes your property — Medicare stops paying rent and you keep the equipment.

Complex rehabilitative power wheelchairs are handled differently: they may be purchased outright in the first month of use instead of being subject to capped rental.

Suppliers, assignment, and competitive bidding

Medicare only covers DME mobility devices obtained from a Medicare-enrolled supplier. 'Accepting assignment' means the supplier agrees to accept the Medicare-approved amount as full payment, so you owe only your deductible and coinsurance.

In areas covered by the DMEPOS Competitive Bidding Program, you generally must use a Medicare contract supplier for the device to be covered. Medicare pays 80% of the program payment amount, less any unmet Part B deductible. Before you order, confirm the supplier is enrolled and, where applicable, is a contract supplier in your area.

Medicare Advantage, denials, and repairs

Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans must cover the same DME items as Original Medicare. However, the suppliers you can use, your out-of-pocket costs, and the plan's authorization rules depend on the specific plan. If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, contact your plan first to confirm in-network suppliers and costs, and check your Evidence of Coverage.

If your claim or prior authorization is denied, you have the right to appeal — under both Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage. Keep your doctor's documentation, the denial notice, and order details, and follow the appeal instructions on your notice.

Good documentation from your treating provider is the foundation for coverage: the medical reason for the device, your mobility limitation and how it affects daily activities at home, and why simpler equipment isn't sufficient.