Grab bars in home bathrooms, as well as other home health services like meal delivery and non-emergency transportation, are covered by some Medicare Advantage plans (Medicare Part C).
Are grab bars considered DME?
Grab bars are classified by Medicare as durable medical equipment (DME), along with walkers, canes, and stair lifts. The product must be something you use in your house for medical reasons to qualify for this classification. It must also be intended for repeated usage and have a three-year life expectancy. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) included grab bars to the features of Medicare Advantage plans in 2018. However, because benefits differ by plan, you’ll need to check with your Medicare Advantage provider to see if grab bars are covered under your plan.
Does Medicare cover grab bars for shower?
Even though grab bars are a vital bathroom safety feature, Medicare normally won’t cover them. Bathroom safety devices that are medically required are covered by Medicare, but not comfort equipment. Those with Part C may be eligible for financial assistance to cover the cost of grab bars.
Does Medicare pay for shower?
Most bathroom equipment is classified as a convenience under Medicare’s coverage criteria and therefore not reimbursable. Certain things, on the other hand, may be considered medically required and reimbursable. For the following popular bathroom equipment, coverage criteria may differ between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage.
Commode Chairs
If an enrollee is unable to use a regular toilet, Medicare Part B may cover the cost of a commode chair. This equipment must be ordered by a plan-approved physician for at-home use due to medical necessity, and the chair must be purchased from a Medicare-approved supplier to qualify for reimbursement.
Shower Chairs
Shower and bath chairs aren’t considered medically necessary, thus Original Medicare doesn’t cover them. However, certain Medicare Advantage plans may cover part or all of the cost through an over-the-counter benefit.
Grab Bars and Handrails
Despite the fact that many senior citizens believe grab bars and handrails to be important for toilet safety, Original Medicare does not deem them medically necessary and hence does not cover them. Enrollees with Medicare Advantage plans, on the other hand, may be eligible for reimbursement for some or all of the cost of restroom grab bars or handrails.
Walk-In Tubs
In most circumstances, Medicare does not consider walk-in baths to be medically necessary and so does not pay for them. Medicare may grant an exemption in circumstances when an enrollee’s mobility is severely limited, necessitating the use of a walk-in tub.
Beneficiaries who believe they may be eligible for an exemption should plan on paying cash at the time of purchase. They should next submit a claim with all supporting evidence, such as a diagnosis to back up the medical requirement and a written prescription explaining why a walk-in tub is medically necessary. The prescription should also include any necessary features for the product. The beneficiary is reimbursed if Medicare approves coverage. A walk-in tub may be covered by some Medicare Advantage plans.
Transfer Benches
Original Medicare does not fund transfer benches since they are considered comfort items. However, Medicare Advantage Plans that include OTC benefits may cover these items in full or in part.
Elevated Toilet Seats, Safety Frames and Risers
Toilet safety devices such as risers, elevated toilet seats, and safety frames are generally considered personal convenience goods by Medicare and are not covered. If your Medicare Advantage plan provides supplemental OTC benefits, you may be eligible for some coverage.
Does Medicaid cover bathroom equipment?
If a healthcare practitioner prescribes the use of specific types of bathroom equipment for a recipient with mobility challenges, Medicaid-related programs may cover it, but the recipient may be limited in which brand or type of bathroom equipment they can order.
How do I choose a grab bar?
To withstand corrosion, most grip bars are composed of stainless steel. They come in a variety of sizes, but the most popular ones are 18 or 24 inches long and 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Some bars have a textured surface for increased safety.
- For vertical installation at the tub’s edge, use a bar that is 18 inches long or longer.
- When installing at an angle, make careful to find and measure the studs to which the bar will be fastened. The average length of an angled bar is 24 inches.
- Avoid bars that have a gap between them and the wall of more than 1 1/2 inch.
How and Where to Install Grab Bars
Grab bars should be installed in the shower or tub’s safest and most handy location. They must be secured to studs in the wall. By having family members stand inside the bath or shower to eyeball the proper positioning for grab bars, you can assure that everyone will be able to reach it when needed.
Bathtub/Shower Combination Grab Bar Placement
Use these guidelines to install grab bars in your bath tub or bathtub shower combination.
- Attach a horizontal bar to the side wall and make it as long as possible. It should be around 30 inches above the tub’s floor.
- Near the faucet handles, another vertical bar should be affixed to the faucet end wall.
Will Medicare pay for handrails for stairs?
Is the cost of stair lifts covered by Medicare? It’s only natural to start with this question, as it’s one that most elderly citizens in the United States have. The short, simple answer is that, for all intents and purposes, stair lifts are not covered by original Medicare. Medicare Advantage plans, on the other hand, may cover the cost.
In the case of original Medicare, there is one conceivable exception to this requirement. If the stair lift features an elevating seat, which helps the passenger sit down and get up from the chair securely, Original Medicare may cover a portion of the cost. However, such a feature would only be accessible in a high-end stair chair, which would cost much more than what Medicare would compensate the buyer. In other words, the financial aid would be less than the additional cost of a stair lift with that capability.
Stair lifts are likewise not covered by Medicare supplementary insurance policies. Co-payments and deductibles for products and services covered under original Medicare are covered by these insurance. A Supplemental or Medigap policy would not help because original Medicare does not.
However, beginning in 2019, Medicare Advantage (MA) plans will be allowed to offer extra healthcare services in addition to those presently available, including as vision, dental, and hearing. Services and materials intended for “daily maintenance” were not allowed as rewards prior to this new decision. While the word “healthcare benefits” is not defined by CMS, commodities and/or services must be medically essential for the senior in issue and recommended by a registered healthcare provider. An item that helps with a functional need as a result of an injury or health issue, or minimizes the likelihood of needing emergency care, may be eligible for a supplemental healthcare benefit. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced in April 2019 that Medicare Advantage plans will be able to provide extra benefits for people with chronic conditions starting in 2020. These extra benefits do not have to be health-related and can be tailored to the unique needs of the chronically sick MA beneficiary. They just need to show that they have “a realistic expectation of enhancing or maintaining that individual’s health or general function.” As a result, we believe that certain Medicare Advantage plans will include stair lifts.
Does Medicare pay for walkers and shower chairs?
A: Of course. Medically essential wheelchairs, walkers, and other in-home medical equipment are covered in part by Medicare Part B. (Power wheelchairs that are solely used outside the home are not covered by Medicare.) Consult your doctor about your requirements. He or she can write a prescription that can be filled at a medical supply store.
Should shower grab bars be horizontal or vertical?
Accidents in the bathroom are the most common in the home. More than 230,000 nonfatal restroom injuries among adults over the age of 15 are treated in emergency rooms each year, according to studies done by the Center for Disease Control (CDC).
Injuries in or near a tub or shower are the most common. Women are more prone than men to sustain injuries. Injury rates rise with age in general, especially when a person slips and falls near a toilet.
“Injuries could be decreased by making changes to the surroundings, such as installing non-slip strips in the tub or shower and adding grab bars inside and outside the tub or shower to prevent falls, as well as providing grab bars next to the toilet for extra support if needed.”
An angle-installed shower grab bar. Take note of the brushed stainless steel finish and the bar’s design.
If you’re thinking of installing bathroom grab bars in your shower, tub, or toilet, here are four things you should know:
Grab bars should be mounted to wall studs, not sheetrock.
When utilizing a tub, shower, or toilet, grab bars give support. A grab bar should be strong enough to support a person up to 250 pounds. When picking products to install, keep in mind the consumers’ height, weight, and ability.
Grab bars are often set 33-36 inches from the shower floor. Users can alter the height, position, and location of the bar.
Because grab bars can be positioned horizontally, vertically, or at an angle (consider inserting a grab bar at an angle near a shower seat), and must be installed in wall studs, talk with your contractor about the best options for installation.
In this walk-in shower, two grab bars were built. A vertical bar is located at the shower seat, and a diagonal bar is located near the entry.
Grab bars should be located where they can best assist users in preventing slips and falls.
Grab bars help the user avoid slipping and make it easier for them to walk around without the assistance of others.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations for the installation of grab bars in showers, tubs, and toilet stalls were released by the US Department of Justice in 2010. While these guidelines aren’t mandatory for private dwellings, they do offer some useful advice on where to put grab bars that you might want to consider in your remodeling plans:
Grab bars can be added on the shower stall’s back wall and control wall. Two bars should be erected on the back wall, one 8 to 10 inches from the tub’s rim and the other parallel to it 33 to 36 inches from the tub’s base, according to the ADA.
In this tub/shower combo, three grab bars were fitted. To get in and out of the tub, utilize the horizontal bars on the walls. The controls are located on a vertical bar on the wall that acts as a support for the user to turn on and off the water.
If there is a shower bench in the stall, grab bars should be put on a side wall, back wall, and on a side wall near it.
A vertical bar at the entry and an angled bar near the recessed shelves were added to this pre-fabricated walk-in shower stall.
Many fashionable tubs, such as free-standing tubs, tubs with decks, and sunken tubs, do not come with built-in grab bars, but homeowners should think about their comfort and safety when choosing these sorts of fixtures for their bathrooms. To assist users in maintaining their balance when stepping in or out of the tub, grab bars can be added near the rims on each side of the tub or near the controls.
This jetted tub comes with stylish grab bars to assist the user while entering and exiting.
A 42-inch bar along one side wall and a 32-inch bar along the rear wall are recommended for toilet rooms.
In this Universal Design-compliant accessible bathroom, two grab bars were built beside the toilet. Take note of the near-toilet wall-mounted sink, which is accessible to those who use a walker or wheelchair.
Grab bars come in a wide variety of lengths and styles.
Grab bars come in a variety of lengths, ranging from 9 to 42 inches. They also come in a variety of shapes and finishes. Grab bars no longer have an institutional appearance and can be blended in with the bathroom’s décor and fixtures.
In this Transitional-style walk-in shower without doors, the decorative and functional grab bar matches the finish of the showerheads and adds interest to the area.
Many grab bars meet or exceed ADA standards.
When shopping for grab bars, you’ll notice that some are branded to show that they meet the ADA’s guidelines. The following requirements are met or exceeded by these products:
- The grab bar is composed of 18-gauge brushed satin stainless steel and has circular snap-on covers.
- For optimal strength and longevity, flanges are constructed in accordance with the ADA standard.
- The bar will have a diameter of 11/4 to 11/2 inches and a breadth of 11/4 to 11/2 inches. It is ideal for home use since the narrower diameter is simpler to grasp for persons with smaller hands and youngsters.
We recommend that you use ADA-compliant grab bars. Here are three popular manufacturers’ websites where you may locate the most up-to-date grab bar selections, designs, and finishes:
What is the average cost of installing a walk in shower?
However, most conversions from a tub to a walk-in shower are prompted by a shortage of space and a desire to upgrade the bathroom’s appearance. A walk-in shower installation typically costs between $2500 and $15000.