Using Medicaid for Elderly Home Care Equipment and Other Payment Options

Elderly Home Care Equipment

Does your loved one need more stability in the bathtub or shower? Does he or she require a walker or rollator to get around? Then it’s very likely that you’ll eventually be in the market for home care products. It’s also likely that you’re curious about how to cover the cost using Medicaid for elderly home care equipment and the other payment options that are available to you.

Just like in-home care services, there are several different possibilities when it comes to paying for home care supplies and equipment. The following are several of the solutions available to assist you or a loved one to purchase home medical equipment:

Medi-Cal

If prescribed by a licensed medical practitioner and it meets a patient’s medical equipment needs, durable medical equipment can be covered if the following is also met:

a. serve a medical purpose;

b. withstand repeated use;

c. be useful to you because of illness, injury, functional impairment or congenital anomaly;

d. not be useful to someone in the absence of illness, injury, functional impairment or congenital anomaly; and

e. be appropriate for use either in or out of your home.

Medicare

If a person has Medicare Part A and qualifies for the Home Health Benefit, then Medicare will cover 80% of the permitted cost for medically essential durable medical equipment. If someone is covered by Medicare Part B, the person does not be required to qualify for the Home Health Benefit, and Medicare will cover 80 percent of the allowable amount for medically necessary durable medical equipment.

Veteran’s Administration (VA)

The VA is especially helpful in providing durable medical equipment for those who qualify. Veterans or spouses of veterans may be qualified for benefits. Find out more at www.va.gov/opa/publications/benefits_book/benefits_chap01.asp.

Other Methods to Cover the Cost of Home Care Equipment

If a person does not meet the requirements for Medicare or Medi-Cal, or receives benefits from the Veteran’s Administration, there are several other options to help pay for home care equipment. Here are a few tips for utilizing long-term care or health insurance and private funding to afford the equipment needed:

Long-Term Care Insurance/Health Insurance

If the devices or products needed are medically necessary, they may be in part covered by some private insurance policies. Coverage is either dependent on the individual’s coverage, or, if the individual seeking coverage is a dependent, then the family policy should be reviewed for coverage of dependents.

Keep in mind, though, that although having your insurance provider cover the cost for some of the cost may seem like the best deal, it is possible to find the products you need at an “out of network” supplier with a lower price.

Private Finances

If you need home care equipment that is not covered by private insurance, look into equipment rental solutions or formerly owned items such as wheelchairs, scooters and handicap vans. Used equipment advertisements can be found in disability publications as well as on websites such as www.Craigslist.org, www.ebay.com, and www.unitedaccess.com.

If you need further support either in finding or buying home care equipment for your loved one, contact Visiting Angels today. We can provide a free in-home assessment, make equipment suggestions, arrange for order and delivery, and answer any other home care related questions you may have. Contact our home care agency’s Alameda office by calling 510-284-0000 or view our entire service area.