DISCOVER THE DIFFERENCES

If you have the equity and interest rates remain low, utilizing a home equity line of credit or reverse mortgage might help provide necessary funds to remodel.

 

This is an ideal time to remodel or for an addition for some. If you have the equity & interest rates remain low, utilizing a home equity line of credit or reverse mortgage might appeal to you.

 

What resources are available for home modifications?

What is Covered by Medicare?

What is NOT covered by Medicare?

Does Medicare insurance cover stairlifts, etc?

Be sure to get a Certificate of Medical Necessity from your doctor. 

Mississippi Division of Medicaid - Who Qualifies for Coverage?

 

What is Veterans Administration (VA) Home Modification Funding?

    1. What Is a Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) Grant?

    2. What Is a Special Home Adaptation (SHA) Grant?

    3. What Is a Home Improvements and Structural Alterations (HISA) Grant?

 

What resources are available for home modifications?
Contact Ashford Homes to discuss your home modification needs with us and we will advise you if your current situation qualifies you for modifications under Medicare or Medicaid eligibility requirements or investigate other funding resources available.

 

 

What is Covered by Medicare?

• manual wheelchairs (capped rental)

• power wheelchairs

• some positioning devices

• walkers and rollators (four-wheel walkers)

• scooters

• seat-lift mechanisms for lift-chairs

• mattress over-lays (capped rental)

• hospital beds, semi-electric type only (capped rental)

• patient lifts (capped rental)

• oxygen equipment (capped rental)

• artificial limbs

• orthotics, splints

If you want Medicare coverage on one of the product types listed above visit a local dealer that sells/rents equipment and bills Medicare. Many people are surprised that manual wheelchairs and hospital beds fall under "capped rental" items. For these "capped rental" items, the dealer (provider) is required to maintain the equipment over the lease period (13 months). You must visit a local dealer for these products.

 

Durable medical equipment, such as wheelchairs, are covered only when prescribed by a doctor and the coverage criteria is met. You can find out what equipment is covered, and whether a supplier is approved, by calling Medicare's durable medical equipment (DMERC) regional carrier for your area call 1-800-MEDICARE.

 

 

What is NOT covered by Medicare?
Equipment not covered by Medicare includes; adaptive daily living aids such as: ramps, automobile lifts, reachers, sock-aids, utensils, transfer benches, shower chairs, raised toilet seats, adjustable based beds , pulse oximeter and grab bars. Basically, Medicare stops at the bathroom door. For more detailed information regarding coverage, call 1-800-MEDICARE.

 

 

Does Medicare insurance cover stairlifts, etc?

A common question comes to mind when a daughter wants to purchase a stairlift for her aged mother who is having a hard time climbing up the stairs: “Will the insurance company pay for the cost of my mother’s stairlift?” Unfortunately, Medicare, a form of insurance provided by the federal government, does not cover stairlifts. A stairlift is not considered by Medicare to be “durable medical equipment” but rather is termed a “home modification.” Although this may not seem fair or consistent with Medicare’s policy to cover other mobility assistive devices, such as scooters, power wheelchairs, etc., it is nonetheless their current position with stairlifts.

 

Yet there are actually private medical insurance companies that are capable of paying at least some, if not the entire cost of your stairlift. To think that there are hundreds of insurance companies in the United States, it is better to clarify one point with your insurance provider – that is if the cost of your stairlift is partially or totally covered. So to start things off, it would be good to check with them to determine their policy. If they have covered the cost of your power wheel chair then certainly, it is reasonable to presume that they wouldn’t be that unsympathetic with your stairlift. But it is not a given, so be sure to check.

 

If they are not able to help you with your needs, or if you do not qualify for cost coverage of your stairlift, you can also contact your local lender or bank for possible stairlift funding. Furthermore, your local Department of Housing and Urban Development can sometimes offer grants to home modifications such as the installation of stairlifts. Some private health care agencies also cover moderate home care needs that definitely include stair chair lifts if it is determined to be beneficial or long term to the person.

 

So, if Medicare will only cover items being purchased that meet the definition of “durable medical equipment” just like power wheel chairs, a potential stairlift buyer has still many options that would answer the most feasible question whether its cost is covered or not. After all, just like using any power wheel chair, installing a stair lift in reality may save insurance companies from having to pay tens of thousands of dollars of medical and hospital charges from falling down the flight of stairs if they did not install the system. Check your coverage to find out whether your insurance will cover the cost of your stairlift.

 

 

Be sure to get a Certificate of Medical Necessity from your doctor. 

This is a more detailed prescription as the doctor must analyze the individual's physical ability and state the chair is required for medical reasons. There also might be tax deductions for stair lift installation. To get up to date and complete information on coverage of stair lifts, we recommend that you visit Medicare's Website.

 

 

Mississippi Division of Medicaid - Who Qualifies for Coverage?

We recommend that you visit the Mississippi Division of Medicaid's Website.

 

 

What is Veterans Administration (VA) Home Modification Funding?

The VA has three main grant programs to assist disabled veterans and service members with necessary home modifications.

For More Information, Call the VA's Toll-Free 1-800-827-1000 or athttp://www.homeloans.va.gov/sah.htm or http://www.va.gov.

 

 

    1. What Is a Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) Grant?

    The SAH Grant is designed to help provide a barrier-free living environment that affords the individual a            level of independent living they may not otherwise enjoy, such as creating a wheelchair accessible home.        Veterans and service members with specific service-connected disabilities may be entitled to a grant for          the purpose of constructing or modifying a home to meet their adaptive needs. This grant is currently              limited to $63,780.

The SAH grant is available to veterans who are and service members who will be entitled to disability compensation for permanent and total disability due to:

• Loss or loss of use of both lower extremities, such as to preclude locomotion without the aid of braces, crutches, canes, or a wheelchair, or

• Blindness in both eyes, having only light perception, plus loss or loss of use of one lower extremity, or

• Loss or loss of use of one lower extremity together with (1) residuals of organic disease or injury, or (2) the loss or loss of use of one upper extremity, which so affects the functions of balance or propulsion as to preclude locomotion without the aid of braces, crutches, canes, or a wheelchair or,

• Loss or loss of use of both upper extremities such as to preclude use of the arms at or above the elbow, or

• severe burn injury (as so determined)

   

  You can apply for the SAH by completing VA Form 26-4555, Veterans Application in Acquiring Specially Adapted Housing or Special Home Adaptation Grant, and submitting it to your local VA regional office.

   

  2. What Is a Special Home Adaptation (SHA) Grant?

  The SHA grant is for modifying an existing home to meet adaptive needs, such as assistance with mobility throughout the home. Veterans and service members with specific service-connected disabilities may be entitled to this type of grant. The grant is currently limited to $12,756. A temporary grant may be available to veterans and service members who are/will be temporarily residing in a home owned by a family member.

  The SHA grant is available to veterans who are and service members who will be entitled to disability compensation for permanent and total disability due to:

• Blindness in both eyes with 5/200 visual acuity or less or,

• The anatomical loss or loss of use of both hands or extremities below the elbow, or

• A severe burn injury (as so determined) 

   

      3. What Is a Home Improvements and Structural Alterations (HISA) Grant?

Under the HISA program, veterans may receive assistance for any home improvement necessary for the continuation of treatment or for disability access to the home and essential lavatory and sanitary facilities. A HISA grant is available to veterans who have received a medical determination indicating that improvements and structural alterations are necessary or appropriate for the effective and economical treatment of their disability. A veteran may receive both a HISA grant and either a SHA or SAH grant.

The HISA program is available for both service-connected veterans and non service-connected veterans.

Home improvement benefits up to $4,100 may be provided to service-connected veterans.

Home improvement benefits up to $1,200 may be provided to non-service-connected veterans.You can apply for a HISA grant by completed VA Form 10-0103, Veterans Application for Assistance in Acquiring Home Improvement and Structural Alterations, and submitting it to your local VA medical center.