Medicare Part B covers a long list of medical equipment for use at home. CPAPs, walkers, wheelchairs, oxygen tanks, hospital beds, blood sugar monitors, and more. The rules around DME are specific and the costs can add up. Here is how it works in 2026.
What is durable medical equipment (DME)?
Medicare defines DME as equipment that:
- Is durable (can withstand repeated use)
- Is used for a medical reason
- Is generally not useful to someone who isn't sick or injured
- Is appropriate for use in the home
- Has an expected lifetime of at least 3 years
So a wheelchair is DME. A heating pad you can use even when healthy is not.
What DME does Medicare cover?
Medicare Part B covers most of the equipment you would expect, including:
Mobility equipment
- Walkers (standard, rollators, hemi-walkers)
- Canes
- Crutches
- Manual wheelchairs
- Power wheelchairs (with strict requirements)
- Scooters (only certain types, with prior auth)
Hospital bed and home setup
- Hospital beds and accessories
- Patient lifts (Hoyer lifts)
- Bed safety rails
- Commode chairs
- Bathroom safety equipment in some cases (raised toilet seats, transfer benches)
Oxygen and breathing equipment
- Oxygen tanks and concentrators
- CPAP and BiPAP machines
- Nebulizers and nebulizer medications
- Ventilators
- Oxygen tubing and accessories
Diabetes equipment
- Blood sugar monitors (glucometers)
- Test strips and lancets
- Continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) like Dexcom and FreeStyle Libre, for people on insulin or with frequent low blood sugar
- Therapeutic shoes and inserts for diabetics
Other equipment
- Infusion pumps and supplies
- Ostomy supplies
- Suction pumps
- Traction equipment
- Pneumatic compression devices (for lymphedema)
What DME Medicare does NOT cover
- Stairlifts and elevators (considered home modifications, not medical equipment)
- Bathroom grab bars (typically classified as home modifications)
- Most TENS units for chronic pain (coverage is limited to specific conditions)
- Hearing aids (separate gap, see our hearing coverage article)
- Standard household items (humidifiers, air purifiers, exercise equipment)
- Items with limited medical justification (compression stockings without a venous condition diagnosis)
How much you pay for DME
For covered DME, you pay 20 percent of the Medicare-approved amount under Part B after meeting your annual Part B deductible (around $257 in 2026).
If you have Medigap, the supplement covers most or all of the 20 percent.
If you have Medicare Advantage, copays for DME vary by plan. Some MA plans have flat copays per item. Others use the 20 percent coinsurance.
Rent vs purchase
For some DME, you rent first and Medicare may eventually let you own the equipment.
- Inexpensive or routinely purchased items (under $150): Usually purchased outright. You pay 20 percent, Medicare pays 80 percent.
- Items typically rented: CPAP, oxygen, hospital beds. You rent for 13 months. After 13 months, you own the equipment (with continued maintenance and supply coverage).
- Power wheelchairs: Usually purchased after a face-to-face exam and detailed assessment.
The supplier requirement
This is where many people get stuck. Medicare only pays for DME purchased or rented from a Medicare-enrolled supplier. The supplier must:
- Be enrolled in Medicare
- Accept Medicare assignment (charge no more than the Medicare-approved amount)
- Provide a valid DME order from your doctor
If you buy DME from a non-enrolled supplier, Medicare won't pay anything, and you pay full retail. Even if the supplier sells the same equipment.
Find Medicare-enrolled suppliers at medicare.gov/find-a-supplier or call 1-800-MEDICARE.
Common DME categories explained
CPAP for sleep apnea
Medicare covers CPAP machines and supplies for people diagnosed with sleep apnea (confirmed by an in-lab sleep study or home sleep test). The process:
- Doctor orders a sleep study
- Sleep study confirms moderate-to-severe sleep apnea
- You receive a CPAP from a Medicare-enrolled supplier
- You use the CPAP at least 4 hours per night, at least 70 percent of nights, in a 30-day period
- If you meet compliance, Medicare continues coverage. If not, the supplier takes the machine back.
Replacement supplies (masks, tubing, filters) are covered on a regular schedule. Most people get a new mask every 3 months and other supplies on similar timelines.
Wheelchairs and scooters
Medicare covers manual wheelchairs for people who can't walk safely even with a cane or walker. Power wheelchairs and scooters are covered when a manual wheelchair won't meet your needs and you have:
- A face-to-face exam with a doctor
- A detailed Medicare written order
- Documentation that you can operate the device safely
Power wheelchair rules tightened in recent years to reduce fraud. Be prepared for prior authorization.
Oxygen
Medicare covers oxygen and oxygen equipment for severe lung disease and other conditions that need supplemental oxygen. The process involves a blood gas test, doctor's prescription, and a Medicare-enrolled supplier.
You rent the oxygen equipment for 36 months. After 36 months, the supplier continues to provide service and supplies for up to 24 more months at no cost to you. You never own the oxygen equipment itself, but you don't pay rent after 36 months.
Continuous glucose monitors
Medicare covers CGMs for people with diabetes who use insulin (3 or more daily injections or an insulin pump) or who have frequent hypoglycemia. As of 2023, Medicare expanded CGM coverage to more diabetics. The most common covered CGMs are Dexcom G6/G7 and FreeStyle Libre 2/3.
Prior authorization
Some DME items now require prior authorization before Medicare will pay. The list includes:
- Power mobility devices (power wheelchairs, scooters)
- Certain orthotics and prosthetics
- Some respiratory equipment
The supplier handles the prior authorization paperwork. You may need to provide medical records from your doctor.
Repairs and replacements
Medicare covers reasonable repairs to DME you own. The supplier files the claim and you pay 20 percent of the repair cost.
Replacement of DME is covered if your equipment is lost, stolen, destroyed, or has worn out beyond reasonable repair. Most DME has a "reasonable useful lifetime" of 5 years for replacement purposes.
Common mistakes
Mistake 1: Buying DME from a non-Medicare supplier
Always verify the supplier is Medicare-enrolled BEFORE you order or buy. Even big retailers may not be enrolled.
Mistake 2: Skipping the sleep study
For CPAP, you need a sleep study first. Buying a CPAP without one means Medicare won't cover it.
Mistake 3: Not following CPAP compliance
The 4-hour, 70-percent rule for CPAP is strict. If you don't meet it in the trial period, Medicare denies coverage and the supplier may bill you for the equipment.
Mistake 4: Not knowing about CGM eligibility
If you have diabetes and check your blood sugar multiple times a day, ask your doctor about CGM. Most patients on insulin can get one covered.
The bottom line
Medicare covers a wide range of medical equipment, but the rules are specific. Always use a Medicare-enrolled supplier, get the proper doctor's order, and follow the rules for items like CPAP that require compliance.
For most DME, you pay 20 percent under Part B. Medigap covers most of that. Medicare Advantage members pay plan-specific copays.
