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DME, home safety & rehabilitation
Getting the right equipment, making your home safer, and rebuilding strength after an illness or injury — the mechanics of how coverage and referrals actually work.
A home safety assessment — usually done by an occupational therapist — is one of the most underused tools for preventing falls and staying independent. It’s often covered, and most people never think to ask for one.
What do you need right now?
Getting durable medical equipment (DME) covered
Wheelchairs, walkers, hospital beds, oxygen equipment, and similar items are covered by Medicare Part B when specific conditions are met.
| Requirement | What it means |
|---|---|
| Doctor’s written order | A Medicare-enrolled doctor must prescribe the specific item for a medical reason — not just “would be helpful.” |
| Durable, for home use, 3+ year expected life | Medicare’s actual technical definition of “durable medical equipment” — this is why a grab bar (not expected to last, arguably a home modification) is treated differently than a wheelchair. |
| Medicare-enrolled, participating supplier | Not every supplier that sells equipment accepts Medicare, and not every Medicare-enrolled supplier “accepts assignment” — ask both questions before you order anything. |
| Cost after Part B deductible | Once the annual Part B deductible is met, Medicare typically covers 80% of the approved amount if the supplier accepts assignment; you’re responsible for the remaining 20%. |
Home safety assessment
A trained eye often catches hazards you’ve stopped noticing in your own home.
Occupational therapist
Assesses your specific home for fall risks and daily-activity barriers — often covered, ask your doctor for a referral.
Common findings
Loose rugs, poor lighting, lack of grab bars, cluttered walkways — often inexpensive to fix once identified.
Home modification vs. DME
Grab bars and ramps are usually “home modifications,” not DME — coverage rules differ, so ask specifically which category applies.
Physical and occupational therapy
Rebuilding strength, balance, and independence after surgery, illness, or injury.
Physical therapist (PT)
Strength, balance, mobility, and pain-focused movement rehabilitation.
Occupational therapist (OT)
Daily-activity independence — dressing, cooking, bathing — and home safety assessments.
Speech-language pathologist
Communication and swallowing rehabilitation, especially after stroke.
How to start
Usually requires a doctor’s referral — ask at your next appointment, or after a hospital discharge, if you haven’t been offered one.
Our Falls & Frailty hub has condition-specific detail on fall prevention and mobility aids. Recovering from a hospital stay? Our Recovery Support hub covers the first 30 days.
Ready to find equipment or a therapist?
Search for DME suppliers, physical/occupational therapy, or home safety assessment providers near you.