Medicare Walk In Tubs and Shower Conversions

Walk-in bathtubs are generally not covered by Medicare because they are not considered "durable medical equipment". Unlike hospital beds, wheelchairs, catheters, blood glucose monitors or nebulizers, a walk in bathtub can be used by anyone.

Medicare does occasionally reimburse a portion of your purchase price, so it makes sense to seek a partial reimbursement. While there are no guarantees that you will be successful, your only loss if they deny your request, is the cost of photocopying, envelopes and postage.

You may wonder why a hospital bed is covered, but a walk in bathtub is not. Anyone can sleep in a hospital bed, right? And a power wheelchair could be used by another member of the family. If you apply this logic, walk in bathtubs should be upgraded to durable medical equipment status. They are usually purchased because a senior in the home needs assistance with mobility issues. Using this argument, you may secure a partial reimbursement for the cost of your walk in tub.

Get a Doctor's Prescription

It's important to go about your purchase in the right way. First, before you buy your walk in bathtub, get a doctors prescription. Without it you have no chance of a Medicare reimbursement. The prescription needs very specific wording, including details about any diagnosed medical condition you have and specific ways the tub would improve your condition.

Next, make sure that you can afford the purchase. Because there is a chance that you will not receive assistance from Medicare, you should be prepared to absorb the entire cost of your walk in bathtub. This includes remodeling costs as well as the purchase price of the walk in tub.

After you purchase your walk in bathtub, you can submit your doctor's prescription, and the paid invoice for your walk in tub to Medicare. You also need to purchase the tub from a supplier that's enrolled in Medicare. This supplier would have a specific participant number from Medicare, showing they accept Medicare assignment.

To make sure that you have considered all of the costs, contact several contractors. Show each contractor specifications for installing the walk in bathtub. Show the contractor the bathroom that you want to install the walk in tub into. Compare quotes.

Also make sure you check the better business bureau rating of each contractor. To be on the safe side, it is wise to at least plan another $1000 to the budget. This is because bathrooms are notorious for having hidden damage underneath the bathtub. When the contractor removes your old bathtub, he or is she may discover dry rot or other damage.

Getting Medicare Reimbursement

According to Medicare, you won't get reimbursement for your claim if the supplier doesn't have a Medicare number, even if the supplier is a large or well-known company. With this prescription and a participating supplier, you may be able to purchase the walk-in tub, then submit the claim to Medicare for reimbursement.

There's no guarantee that Medicare will pay any portion of the claim, but it's likely your best chance at coverage with original Medicare.

In Conclusion:

Medicare doesn't usually cover walk-in tubs. Expansions to Medicare Advantage coverage may mean some policies can reimburse you or provide coverage for these costs (although this is still rare). Other federal, state, and community organizations may offer grants to help you pay for a walk-in tub for your homee

Related Articles:

Medicare and Walk-In Tubs

Getting Medicare Reimbursement