Quick Answer
Before buying anything, ask the discharge planner: "What equipment is being ordered through insurance, and when does it arrive?" Medicare typically covers the big items — hospital bed, walker, wheelchair, commode — through an enrolled supplier (directory: medicare.gov/medical-equipment-suppliers), and the hospital can usually have them delivered before the patient gets home. What insurance won't cover — grab bars, shower chair, bathroom safety, incontinence supplies — is what you shop for yourself. Headed to a nursing facility instead? See our discharge planning guide.
Table of Contents
The 48-Hour Reality: Insurance First
The biggest money mistake families make in the discharge scramble is buying equipment that insurance was about to deliver for free. Medicare Part B covers most major home medical equipment at 80% after the deductible — when it's prescribed by the doctor and ordered through a Medicare-enrolled supplier. The hospital's discharge planner does this ordering every day and can usually have a covered hospital bed, walker, or commode delivered to the house before your loved one arrives.
Three questions for the discharge planner — today
- ✓"What equipment is being ordered through insurance, and when will it arrive?" Get the supplier's name and phone number so you can confirm the delivery yourself.
- ✓"Can a home-health PT or OT evaluate the house?" After many hospital stays, Medicare covers home health visits — and an occupational therapist walking the actual house beats any generic checklist, including this one.
- ✓"What will we need that insurance won't cover?" Make them say it out loud — usually it's the bathroom items and daily supplies in the sections below.
For the full coverage rules — the 80/20 math, the enrolled-supplier requirement, what's famously excluded, and how to appeal a denial — see our companion guide: What Medicare Covers for Home Medical Equipment (2026).
What You Need, by Mobility Level
Don't buy the whole catalog. Ask the hospital physical therapist how your loved one will actually be moving on day one — then work the matching column. Mobility usually improves over weeks, so rent or borrow where you can.
Walking with help
Steady-ish on their feet with a device or an arm
- • Walker or rollator (usually covered)
- • Shower chair + handheld shower
- • Grab bars by toilet and tub
- • Raised toilet seat
- • Night lights along the bathroom route
- • Medical alert button
Using a wheelchair
Can sit and transfer, but not walk far
- • Everything in the first column, plus:
- • Wheelchair (usually covered)
- • Transfer board or gait belt
- • Bedside commode (often covered)
- • Threshold ramps for door lips
- • A cleared, wheelchair-width path to bed and bathroom
Bed-bound
Needs care brought to the bed
- • Hospital bed (usually covered)
- • Pressure-reducing mattress or alternating pressure pad (often covered)
- • Patient lift if transfers happen (often covered)
- • Incontinence supplies + waterproof pads
- • Overbed table
- • Wedges/pillows for repositioning
"Covered" means Medicare typically pays its 80% share when the doctor documents medical need and the order goes through an enrolled supplier — coverage is never automatic. Everything unmarked is usually out of pocket.
Bedroom Setup
First decision: which room? If stairs are now hard or unsafe, move the sleeping space to the main floor — near a bathroom — even if that means a bed in the dining room for a few months. It beats a fall on the stairs at 2 a.m.
Hospital bed
Medicare: usually coveredAn adjustable bed that raises the head and legs and changes height for safe transfers and caregiving. Covered as a rental when the doctor documents why a regular bed won't work — the discharge planner orders it through an enrolled supplier (official directory). Don't buy one before asking whether it's being ordered.
Alternating pressure pad / pressure-reducing mattress
Medicare: often coveredFor anyone spending most of the day in bed, these surfaces shift pressure to help prevent pressure injuries (bedsores) — which develop frighteningly fast in the first weeks home. Medicare covers pressure-reducing support surfaces when the patient has, or is at documented risk of, pressure injuries. Ask the discharge planner whether one is on the order; if your loved one is bed-bound and it isn't, push.
Bed rails, overbed table, and the small stuff
Mostly out of pocketRails that come attached to a covered hospital bed come with it; standalone rails added to a regular bed are usually out of pocket — and worth discussing with the care team first, since poorly fitted rails carry entrapment risk for confused or frail adults. Overbed tables, wedge pillows, and waterproof mattress protectors are inexpensive, not covered, and genuinely useful. Put a lamp, phone, water, and a way to call for help within arm's reach of the bed.
Bathroom Safety
The bathroom is where falls happen — wet, hard, and full of awkward movements. It's also the room where Medicare helps least: most bathroom safety equipment is on the famous not-covered list, so this section is mostly out-of-pocket money. It's the best money you'll spend.
Bedside commode
Medicare: often coveredThe exception in this room: Medicare covers a commode chair when the person can't safely reach the bathroom (for example, confined to the bedroom). Even for someone who can walk with help, a commode by the bed for nighttime can prevent the riskiest trip of the day. Ask the discharge planner to add it to the order.
Shower chair or transfer bench + handheld shower head
Not covered — buy yourselfA shower chair sits inside the shower; a transfer bench straddles the tub wall so the person sits down outside and slides in — the right choice for anyone who can't safely step over a tub edge. Pair either with a handheld shower head and a non-slip mat. Check the weight capacity before buying.
Grab bars and raised toilet seat
Not covered — buy yourselfWall-mounted grab bars beside the toilet and in the shower are the highest-value fall prevention in the house — and famously not covered by Original Medicare. Install them into wall studs or with proper anchors (a handy neighbor or a pro, not suction cups, for anything bearing real weight). A raised toilet seat with handles makes standing up dramatically easier after surgery. Some Medicare Advantage plans offer allowances that can offset these — call the plan before paying.
Bath safety retailers worth comparing
For the not-covered items above. Compare prices and weight capacities; local pharmacies also stock the basics if delivery would arrive too late.
Home medical equipment and daily-living aids — bath safety, mobility, and recovery gear.
Maker of everyday home health aids — canes, bath benches, reachers — also widely stocked at pharmacies.
Mobility Equipment
Walker, rollator, or cane
Medicare: usually coveredThe hospital PT will recommend the specific type — a standard walker for stability, a rollator (wheels + seat + brakes) for someone steadier who tires easily. These are the most routinely covered items in home care; the hospital usually sends the patient home with one already ordered. Make sure it's adjusted to the right height before discharge day.
Wheelchair
Medicare: usually coveredManual wheelchairs are covered with a doctor's order documenting need; power chairs and scooters require more paperwork, including a face-to-face exam. If insurance is ordering one, confirm the delivery date — and measure doorways at home (most interior doors need roughly 32 inches clear for comfortable wheelchair passage; bathrooms are the usual choke point).
Transfer board and gait belt
Usually out of pocket — inexpensiveA transfer board bridges the gap between wheelchair and bed or car seat so the person slides across instead of standing; a gait belt gives a caregiver something secure to hold while steadying transfers. Both are cheap and typically bought out of pocket. Crucially: ask the hospital PT to demonstrate transfers with them before discharge — technique protects the caregiver's back as much as the patient.
Mobility equipment retailers worth comparing
For items you're buying rather than getting through insurance — always exhaust the covered route first. For short recoveries, also price local rentals and free loan closets (call your Area Agency on Aging).
Online retailer of wheelchairs, scooters, lift chairs, and other home medical equipment.
Online retailer specializing in wheelchairs and related mobility equipment.
Home medical equipment retailer — useful for comparing prices on bigger-ticket items before you buy.
Safety & Communication
Medical alert system
Not covered by Original MedicareA wearable button (pendant or wristband) that connects to a 24/7 monitoring center — the answer to the question every family asks: "What if they fall when no one's there?" Monitored systems charge a monthly fee, typically in the $20–$50/month range depending on in-home vs. mobile coverage — verify current pricing with the provider. Automatic fall detection is usually an optional add-on worth asking about; no detection technology is foolproof, so the button still matters. Original Medicare doesn't cover these, though some Medicare Advantage plans include a personal emergency response benefit — check before paying.
Medical alert providers worth comparing
Compare monthly fees, activation fees, contract terms, fall-detection add-ons, and return policies before committing. If a caregiver is home around the clock, you may not need one yet.
Monitored medical alert systems with in-home and mobile options — these services bill monthly, so verify current pricing with the provider.
Monitored medical alert systems — like most monitored services, automatic fall detection is usually an optional add-on, so ask.
Monitored medical alert systems for at home and on the go — compare device types and monthly fees before committing.
Monitored medical alert systems — ask about activation fees, contract terms, and the return policy before ordering.
Free safety wins before discharge day
- ✓Clear the paths: roll up throw rugs, tape down or reroute cords, move furniture so there's a wide route from bed to bathroom to kitchen.
- ✓Light the night route: plug-in night lights from bed to bathroom; a lamp reachable from bed.
- ✓Phone within reach: a charged phone (or the alert button) wherever the person spends time — including the bathroom.
- ✓Post the key numbers: doctor, home health agency, pharmacy, and family contacts in large print on the fridge.
Daily Care Supplies
Incontinence supplies
Not covered by Original MedicareBriefs, protective underwear, pads, and washable underpads for the bed and chairs. Original Medicare doesn't cover absorbent supplies; if your loved one qualifies for Medicaid, many state programs do cover them with a doctor's order — ask the discharge planner or your Medicaid office. Sizing matters more than brand: buy small packs in two sizes first, then commit to cases of what fits. Add barrier cream and disposable gloves to the same order — skin breakdown is the complication to stay ahead of.
Dressing aids and adaptive clothing
Out of pocketAfter a stroke, surgery, or with limited shoulder mobility, regular clothing becomes a daily battle. Adaptive clothing (side openings, magnetic or velcro closures), slip-resistant footwear with easy closures, plus cheap helpers like a reacher, sock aid, and long-handled shoehorn restore independence — which is the point. An occupational therapist can tell you which of these will actually get used.
Medication management
Cheap and criticalDischarge usually comes with a changed medication list — and transitions home are when medication errors spike. A large weekly pill organizer (or pharmacy blister packs, which many pharmacies prepare free on request), the printed discharge medication list taped inside a cabinet, and one family member assigned to reconcile old bottles against the new list on day one.
Daily-care suppliers worth comparing
Pharmacies and big-box stores carry the basics; specialty suppliers carry wider size ranges and higher-absorbency options that often work better overnight.
Specialty retailer focused on adult incontinence supplies — trying small packs in two sizes beats guessing on a full case.
Adaptive clothing designed for easier dressing — helpful after a stroke or surgery, or with limited mobility.
Will Home Care Be Enough?
If you're weighing home setup against a rehab stay or assisted living, compare Medicare-certified home health agencies and facilities near you — with independent quality scores, free.
Search Providers →Printable Checklist
Print this page (or just this section) and check items off as they're confirmed. Items marked [INS] are typically ordered through insurance — confirm them with the discharge planner rather than buying.
Before anything else
- ☐ Asked discharge planner what's ordered through insurance + delivery dates
- ☐ Got the equipment supplier's name and phone number
- ☐ Asked about a home-health PT/OT evaluation
- ☐ Chose the sleeping room (main floor if stairs are unsafe)
Bedroom
- ☐ Hospital bed, if needed [INS]
- ☐ Pressure-reducing mattress/pad, if bed-bound [INS]
- ☐ Waterproof mattress protector
- ☐ Overbed table / sturdy bedside table
- ☐ Lamp, phone, water, call button within reach
Bathroom
- ☐ Bedside commode, if needed [INS]
- ☐ Shower chair or transfer bench
- ☐ Handheld shower head
- ☐ Grab bars (toilet + shower), properly anchored
- ☐ Raised toilet seat
- ☐ Non-slip mats inside and outside the shower
Mobility
- ☐ Walker / rollator / cane, fitted to height [INS]
- ☐ Wheelchair, if needed [INS]
- ☐ Transfer board / gait belt — and a PT demo of how to use them
- ☐ Doorways and paths measured and cleared
- ☐ Threshold ramps for door lips, if wheeled
Safety
- ☐ Medical alert system ordered and tested
- ☐ Throw rugs up, cords taped or rerouted
- ☐ Night lights from bed to bathroom
- ☐ Key phone numbers posted in large print
Daily care
- ☐ Incontinence supplies (small packs, two sizes) + gloves + barrier cream
- ☐ Pill organizer filled against the discharge medication list
- ☐ Old medication bottles reconciled and set aside
- ☐ Easy-on clothing and slip-resistant footwear
- ☐ Reacher / sock aid / long-handled shoehorn, if recommended
Frequently Asked Questions
What equipment will the hospital send home with us?
Ask the discharge planner directly: "What's being ordered through insurance, and when will it arrive?" Covered DME — walker, wheelchair, hospital bed, commode, oxygen — is typically ordered through a Medicare-enrolled supplier, often with home delivery before discharge. The not-covered items (grab bars, shower chairs, bathroom safety) are yours to buy.
Does Medicare pay for the equipment we need at home?
For much of it, yes — Part B covers DME at 80% of the approved amount after the annual deductible, with a valid prescription and an enrolled supplier. The famous exceptions: grab bars, most bathroom safety items, stair lifts, and the chair portion of lift chairs. Full rules in our Medicare DME coverage guide.
What should we set up first if we only have one day?
In order: confirm what insurance is delivering; set up a main-floor sleeping space if stairs are a problem; make the bathroom safe (shower chair, non-slip surface, commode if needed); clear the walking paths; and put light, phone, and a way to call for help within reach of the bed.
Does Medicare cover incontinence supplies?
No — Original Medicare doesn't cover absorbent supplies like briefs and pads. Many state Medicaid programs do (with a doctor's order), and some Medicare Advantage plans offer over-the-counter allowances that can help. Otherwise it's out of pocket: start with small packs in two sizes before buying cases.
Do we need a hospital bed at home?
Only if there's a medical reason a regular bed won't work — positioning needs, safety, or caregiving height. That's a care-team decision, and if the doctor documents it, Medicare typically covers the bed as a rental. Ask before you buy anything.
Related Guides
Note: This guide is general information, not medical advice — equipment needs vary by condition, so discuss this checklist with the discharge planner, doctor, or home-health therapist before buying. Coverage statements reflect CY 2026 Original Medicare rules; Medicare Advantage and Medicaid vary by plan and state. Confirm specifics at Medicare.gov. SunsetWell is independent and not affiliated with Medicare or CMS.