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Programs that Help Veterans Purchase Durable Medical Equipment and Supplies
| The Veterans Administration has many different programs that provide coverage or financial assistance for home or durable medical equipment (DME) and supplies. Each of the following programs provides different benefits. |
TRICARE for Life and Durable Medical Equipment
TRICARE for Life (TFL) is supplemental health insurance for elderly and retired members of all 7 of uniformed services and their families. TFL serves as a secondary payer to Medicare; in other words, individuals are required to have Medicare Part A and Part B. Medicare Part B covers durable medical equipment but they typically require enrollees to pay 20% of the cost. TFL works to cover Medicare co-payments, therefore, TFL will pay for the remaining 20% of the cost of durable medical equipment that Medicare does not cover. One should always confirm with TRICARE for Life that they will cover the 20% for any DME item prior to purchase.
TRICARE and Durable Medical Equipment
TRICARE (as opposed to TRICARE for Life) will pay for durable medical equipment when a doctor has determined the item is medically necessary. However, there are certain exceptions. For individuals that reside in nursing homes, typically the facility will provide the DME as part of their coverage. TRICARE also does not pay for expendable items such as incontinence supplies or bandages. Items considered to contain features that may be desirable but are not necessary are excluded as well as duplicate items unless they serve as a fail-safe for life support.
Use our Locator Tool to Find Other Financial Assistance Options for which You're Eligible
CHAMPVA for Life and Durable Medical Equipment
CHAMPVA for Life (CFL) is a Veterans Administration health insurance program for aging persons 65+ years old who are family members of permanently disabled veterans or of those killed in the line of duty. To be eligible for CFL, one cannot also be eligible for TRICARE for Life. CFL serves as the secondary payer to minimize out-of-pocket expenses by covering the Medicare’s coinsurance and deductibles. Medicare Part B covers the cost of durable / home medical equipment with a 20% co-payment. CHAMPVA for Life covers Medicare co-payments and therefore will assist in paying for durable medical equipment.
CHAMPVA and Durable Medical Equipment
CHAMPVA is a health insurance and care program provided by the VA for the families of veterans permanently disabled or killed in the line of duty who are not eligible for TRICARE. CHAMPVA will pay for the durable / home medical equipment when determined to be medically necessary by a doctor or therapist. Higher priced items require pre-authorization and individuals may be responsible for a co-payment.
Veterans Directed Home and Community Based Services (VD-HCBS) and DME
VD-HCBS, also known as Cash and Counseling for Veterans, is a program that provides veterans with a care budget and allows them to self-direct their services and supplies. As such, the program will pay for durable medical equipment that is medically necessary. Veterans are operating within a defined budget; however they have flexibility in how that budget is spent. For example, one might choose to allocate a larger portion of their budget for a nicer wheelchair and make up for that by purchasing a less expensive hospital bed. Since they are working with a set budget, it is in their best interest to find the least expensive purchase price available. Read more about Veterans Directed Home and Community Based Services.
SAH, SHA and HISA Grants and DME
These grants are intended more for home modifications than for durable medical equipment. However, there is not always a clear distinction between the two. Improvements made to a bathroom, for example, often blur the lines between what is medical equipment and what is a home modification. Read more about the SAH, SHA and HISA Grants.
Veterans' Pensions
Pensions, such as the Aid and Attendance Program, provide cash assistance to those veterans that meet the income limits. This financial assistance can be used towards any purpose the veteran chooses including the purchase of durable medical equipment and supplies not otherwise provided.
Use our Locator Tool to Find Other Financial Assistance Options for which You're Eligible
