Does Medicare cover shower chairs?
Original Medicare does not cover shower chairs or bath benches — they're classified as convenience or safety items, not durable medical equipment.
What flips the answer
- Covered when
You're on a Medicare Advantage plan with a supplemental benefit for home safety items or an OTC (over-the-counter) allowance — check your plan's Evidence of Coverage, since some Advantage plans specifically reimburse bathroom safety equipment.
- Covered when
You qualify for a state Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waiver alongside Medicare (dual eligibility) — many waivers cover bathroom safety equipment that Medicare won't.
- Not covered when
You have Original Medicare only and no supplemental Advantage or Medicaid benefit — the shower chair is out-of-pocket regardless of a doctor's recommendation.
Medicare's durable medical equipment (DME) benefit under Part B only pays for equipment that primarily serves a medical purpose — things like wheelchairs, hospital beds, and oxygen equipment. Shower chairs, bath benches, and bathtub transfer benches don't meet that bar. Medicare treats them as safety or convenience items you'd want whether or not you were sick, so Original Medicare denies them across the board.
This surprises a lot of people, especially after a hip or knee surgery, because a physical therapist will often recommend a shower chair as part of a fall-prevention plan. The clinical recommendation doesn't change the coverage rule — medical necessity alone isn't enough; the item also has to fit Medicare's legal definition of DME.
Shower chairs are inexpensive relative to most DME (typically $30–$100), so many people simply buy one out of pocket rather than fight for coverage.
For dual-eligible beneficiaries, whether a state Medicaid HCBS waiver covers shower chairs depends on the state's waiver design and your specific waiver enrollment — coverage is not uniform nationwide.
That's the general answer. Yours is written in your actual policy.
Drop in your policy or benefits document and get the answer for your exact coverage — with the clause it comes from. Nothing is stored.
Check my policy →