Written and maintained by CASRAI Editorial Board
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This page describes products and general use; it is not medical advice.
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Who this is for: older adults, family caregivers and clinic or discharge staff who need a walker, commode, shower chair or similar equipment and want to know where to look first. After reading you should be able to tell a covered item from a no-cost one, find a local program to call, and know what to check before you accept equipment.
Short answer: there is no single national free-equipment program. Medicare Part B covers medically necessary durable medical equipment (DME), but you usually still pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount. No-cost equipment generally comes from local loan closets and reuse programs, and the federal Eldercare Locator is the official place to start finding local services.
What it is: durable medical equipment and loan-closet equipment
Medicare defines durable medical equipment (DME) as equipment that is durable, used for a medical reason, typically only useful to someone who is sick or injured, used in your home, and expected to last at least 3 years (Medicare.gov, checked 2026-11-01). A loan closet is a community program that lends used DME, usually donated, to people who need it. Great Lakes Loan Closets describes them as also known as medical equipment loaning programs or re-use programs, which lend home medical equipment to people recovering from illness or injury, and which clean the equipment and check that it is in good condition before lending it (loanclosets.org, checked 2026-11-01).
Types of equipment programs lend
| Type | Examples named by the program | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Mobility aids | Canes, crutches, walkers, rollators, manual and transport wheelchairs | Maryland Department of Aging; Great Lakes Loan Closets |
| Bathroom and bedroom safety | Shower chairs, tub transfer benches, bedside commodes, toilet safety rails | Maryland Department of Aging; Howard County Loan Closet |
| Larger equipment | Power wheelchairs, power scooters, home hospital beds, mechanical lifts (Maryland asks a health care professional to complete part of the application for complex equipment) | Maryland Department of Aging |
Inventories change with donations, so the list a program publishes today may differ next month. Call before you travel.
What “free” means for older adults
Three different things get called free: equipment Medicare covers (not free), equipment a community program lends or redistributes, and equipment offered in a phone call or mailer. The first two are real routes with rules. The third is the one to check carefully; be cautious of unrequested offers of “free” items, and see our guide to DME fraud schemes.
Medicare Part B: covered, but not free
Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance) covers medically necessary DME. After the Part B deductible, you pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount if your supplier accepts assignment (Medicare.gov, durable medical equipment coverage, checked 2026-11-01).
- What counts as DME: Medicare describes it as equipment that is durable, used for a medical reason, typically only useful to someone who is sick or injured, used in your home, and expected to last at least 3 years.
- Examples Medicare lists as covered: canes, commode chairs, crutches, hospital beds, walkers, wheelchairs and scooters, and oxygen equipment, among others.
- Who must order it: Part B covers DME if your doctor or other health care provider orders it for use in your home.
- Rent or buy: depending on the item you may need to rent, need to buy, or be able to choose; some items become yours after a certain number of rental payments.
- Supplier rules: Medicare pays only for DME from suppliers enrolled in Medicare, and recommends asking whether a supplier participates in Medicare or will accept assignment before you get the item.
For what is and is not reimbursable, see Medicare DME coverage.
Local sources: Eldercare Locator and Area Agencies on Aging
The Eldercare Locator is a public service of the Administration for Community Living that connects older adults and their families to services. You can reach trained staff at 1-800-677-1116 by phone or text, or by online chat (eldercare.acl.gov, checked 2026-11-01). The site also points to Area Agencies on Aging, the local offices that can point to services in your community. Ask them which equipment programs operate near you.
Loan closets and reuse programs
Loan closets lend used equipment such as wheelchairs and shower chairs, and Howard County gives equipment out at no cost; reuse programs collect, sanitize, repair and redistribute it. The directory Great Lakes Loan Closets states that each loan closet is unique, with its own set of eligibility requirements, equipment and loan period. Referral rules differ; Howard County, Maryland, for example, accepts referrals only from an MD, PT, OT, DO, PA or CRNP, who completes the provider section of a Healthcare Referral Form, and provides equipment to county residents at no cost (Howard County Loan Closet, checked 2026-11-01). Read how borrowing works in our guide to the medical equipment loan closet, and see which items programs accept in donating medical equipment, since donated items are what these programs hand out.
Routes compared
| Route | What it is | Rule to confirm | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medicare Part B DME | Insurance coverage for medically necessary equipment used at home | Ordered by your provider; supplier enrolled in Medicare and accepting assignment; 20% of approved amount after deductible | Medicare.gov |
| Eldercare Locator | Federal public service that connects people to local services for older adults | Call 1-800-677-1116, text or chat to ask what is near you | eldercare.acl.gov |
| Loan closet | Community program that lends used equipment | Eligibility, equipment and loan period differ by closet; Howard County, for example, uses a provider referral form | Great Lakes Loan Closets; Howard County Loan Closet |
| State reuse program | Program that sanitizes, repairs and redistributes donated equipment | Each publishes its own accepted list; Maryland, for example, lists items it does not accept | Maryland Department of Aging DME Re-Use |
How to get free medical supplies
Start with the Eldercare Locator to find local programs, then ask each program for its eligibility rules and loan period. Check Medicare’s DME coverage page for whether an item is covered, and call the program before you travel, because availability depends on what the community has donated. Disposable supplies are handled differently from equipment; for example, Maryland’s reuse program lists incontinence and disposable supplies among items it does not accept. For items a caregiver commonly needs at home, see home caregiver supplies and assistive devices for elderly.
What to verify before accepting equipment
- Is the supplier enrolled in Medicare and willing to accept assignment, if Medicare is paying part of the cost?
- Did your doctor or other health care provider order the item for use in your home?
- Does the program require a referral, and what is the loan period or return rule?
- Was the equipment cleaned and checked before it was lent? Loan closets describe staff cleaning and checking equipment before lending it.
- Did you request it? Be cautious of unrequested offers of “free” equipment.
Safe use basics
General points only; ask your own clinician about your situation. Programs such as Howard County’s help people size and adjust equipment. Howard County’s Loan Closet says its staff can help clients size, operate and adjust equipment and publishes instructional videos for items such as walkers, wheelchairs, tub transfer benches and 3-in-1 commodes (Howard County Loan Closet, checked 2026-11-01). Check that the equipment is clean and in working order before you take it home.
Common mistakes
- Assuming Medicare-covered means free. Part B generally leaves 20% of the approved amount to you after the deductible.
- Choosing a supplier that is not enrolled in Medicare, since Medicare pays only for DME from enrolled suppliers.
- Treating one program’s rules as national. Loan closets set their own eligibility and loan periods.
- Accepting an unrequested “free” item offered by telephone.
FAQ
Can seniors get free medical equipment?
Sometimes. Local loan closets and reuse programs lend or redistribute used equipment, with rules that differ by program. Medicare Part B covers medically necessary DME but generally leaves you 20% of the approved amount after the deductible.
How do I get free medical supplies?
Call the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116 to find local services, then contact loan closets and reuse programs near you and ask about eligibility, referral and loan period. Availability depends on what has been donated.
Does Medicare pay for walkers and wheelchairs?
Medicare lists walkers and wheelchairs among covered DME when they are medically necessary and ordered by your provider for use in your home. You pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount after the Part B deductible if the supplier accepts assignment.
Sources
- Medicare.gov, Durable medical equipment (DME) coverage, checked 2026-11-01.
- Administration for Community Living, Eldercare Locator, checked 2026-11-01.
- Great Lakes Loan Closets, directory home page, checked 2026-11-01.
- Howard County, Maryland, The Loan Closet of Howard County, checked 2026-11-01.
- Maryland Department of Aging, Durable Medical Equipment, checked 2026-11-01.
- Internal guides, supplementary: medical equipment loan closet, donating medical equipment, DME fraud schemes.
