A wheelchair, walker, hospital bed, or shower chair can be expensive, but you often do not have to buy new. The best sources of free or low-cost durable medical equipment are local lending programs and disease-specific charities, not national cash grants. And for equipment you will need long-term, insurance is usually the primary payer. Here is where to look. Programs change, so verify each before applying.
The Honest Landscape
Free medical equipment usually means borrowed or donated, not new. The main sources are local loan closets, disease-specific loan programs, and, for medically necessary items you will keep, Medicare or Medicaid coverage. Knowing which fits your need, temporary versus long-term, points you to the right place.
Local Loan Closets
The most useful and overlooked resource is a loan closet: a nonprofit, church, senior center, or health organization that lends donated equipment for free or a small fee, short or long term. Inventory is used and limited, and programs are local, but they are a genuine way to get a walker or wheelchair quickly. Find one through national directories such as the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab lending closet directory or GotDME, or by asking a hospital discharge planner or your local Area Agency on Aging.
Disease-Specific Programs
If you have a specific condition, its national organization may lend equipment. The ALS Association runs a durable medical equipment loan program for people with ALS, lending wheelchairs, lifts, and communication devices at no cost through local chapters and clinics. The Muscular Dystrophy Association offers equipment assistance for its members. These require the diagnosis, so work through your specialty clinic.
State Assistive Technology Programs and Lions Clubs
Every state has an Assistive Technology program that offers device demonstrations, equipment reuse and exchange, and low-interest financing loans, which can help with more specialized or higher-cost equipment. And local Lions Clubs are a strong resource for vision and hearing devices, and some also lend mobility equipment; you apply to your local club.
When Insurance Is the Answer
For equipment you will use long-term and that is medically necessary, insurance is usually the primary payer. Medicare Part B covers items like walkers, wheelchairs, hospital beds, and oxygen as durable medical equipment when a doctor prescribes them for use in your home, paying 80% after the deductible with you paying 20%, often as a rental that converts to ownership. Medicaid covers durable medical equipment too, with the scope set by your state. For new, fitted equipment, this is the route.
A Practical Order
Check your insurance first for medically necessary items. For temporary or interim needs, use a local loan closet. Contact your condition’s national organization for a disease-specific loan program, your state Assistive Technology program for financing, and a Lions Club for vision and hearing devices.
Getting Equipment Quickly After a Hospital Stay
If you are being discharged and need equipment right away, your best ally is the hospital discharge planner or social worker. They can arrange medically necessary equipment through your insurance before you leave, point you to a nearby loan closet for interim needs, and connect you with community resources. Ask them directly, since they do this every day and know the local options. For a wheelchair or walker you need for just a few weeks, a loan closet is often faster and cheaper than going through insurance.
Buying Used or Refurbished Equipment
If you must buy equipment, used or refurbished options save a lot. They are widely available.
Reuse programs and assistive technology exchanges sell refurbished wheelchairs, walkers, and more at a fraction of retail. Durable equipment holds up well over time. Just confirm the item works and fits your needs, ideally with a therapist’s input. This can be far cheaper than buying new.
Charities for Wheelchairs and Mobility Devices
Mobility equipment can be costly, so targeted charities help. Several focus on getting people moving.
Some nonprofits provide wheelchairs and mobility devices to people in need, sometimes free. Disease-specific charities, such as those for ALS or multiple sclerosis, often lend or grant equipment. Ask the national organization for your condition. Local service clubs may help fund a device too.
Medical Equipment Charity FAQs
Where can I get free medical equipment?
Local loan closets lend donated equipment for free or a small fee, and disease-specific charities lend to people with certain conditions.
Does “free” mean new equipment?
Usually not. Free equipment is generally borrowed or donated and used. New, fitted equipment typically comes through insurance.
Does Medicare cover a wheelchair or walker?
Yes, as durable medical equipment when prescribed for home use, paying 80% after the deductible with you paying 20%.
How do I find a loan closet near me?
Use national directories like the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab lending closet directory, or ask a hospital discharge planner or Area Agency on Aging.
Is there help for a specific disease?
Yes. Groups like the ALS Association and Muscular Dystrophy Association lend equipment to people with those conditions.
Can a state program help?
Yes. Every state has an Assistive Technology program offering device reuse, demonstrations, and low-interest financing.
Who can help me get equipment when I leave the hospital?
Ask the hospital discharge planner or social worker. They arrange medically necessary equipment through insurance and know local loan closets for interim needs.
Is it better to borrow or buy?
For short-term needs, borrowing from a loan closet is usually faster and cheaper. For long-term, medically necessary equipment, insurance coverage is the better route.
