Will Medicare or Medicaid Pay for My Scooter?

Will Medicare or Medicaid Pay for My Scooter?

Medicaid and Medicare may cover a Luggie Classic II scooter, our very Heavy-Duty mobility scooters or power wheelchairs if the patient meets eligibility requirements.

Medicare and Medicare are programs that are designed to provide medical and health-related services to certain people, such as seniors and low-income individuals. Medicaid and Medicare may cover a Luggie Classic II Scooter or our very Heavy-Duty mobility scooters and power wheelchairs if the patient meets eligibility requirements.

Medicaid and Medicare program are funded through a cooperative venture between the federal and state governments. Within broad national guidelines which the federal government provides. Each of the states: 

Establishes its own eligibility standards.
Determines the type, amount, duration, and scope of services.
Sets the rate of payment for services; and administers its own program.


To qualify for Medicaid or Medicare, an individual must meet income and resource limits, and be medically needy or fall into an eligibility category specified by your state.

Anyone receiving Supplementary Security Income (SSI) benefits is automatically eligible. Medicaid will only pay for a motorized wheelchair if the individual has a medical need for the specific motorized wheelchair. There must also be a doctor's prescription written for the patient and the type of power wheelchair he or she needs.

Power wheelchairs or mobility scooters can be covered as Durable Medical Equipment (DME) under Medicaid or Medicare; however, circumstances and fee schedule vary from state to state. Some of these variations include:

Coverage for outdoor, vocational use.
Coverage for skilled nursing homes.
Coverage for accessories (some states have age limitations for coverage).
Whether the power chair can be purchased or rented.Some states require physical therapy reports or special forms to be completed.

For individuals who qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid, sometimes Medicaid will pay the portion of the cost of a power chair that is not covered under Medicare.

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