The cost of a mobility scooter varies widely, with a range from $600 to more than $4,000. The price depends on the scooter’s size, brand and accessories. Insurance companies and government assistance programs may help seniors cover the cost of a mobility scooter if they can produce a written prescription from a physician saying that it is medically necessary. Mobility scooters covered by Medicare usually fall in the lower third of the price range indicated above. Seniors who are using insurance to pay for their scooters may have to narrow their search options down to scooters that cost between $600 and $1,300.
The Cost Difference in Mobility Scooters
Mobility scooters come in all different sizes and styles. From three-wheel to four-wheel scooters, rigid to foldable, in-home to all-terrain, each feature of a scooter can affect its final cost. Typically, full-size scooters and all terrain varieties cost more than travel and folding scooters. Likewise, mobility scooters that feature a large battery or a high-voltage engine cost more than scooters without that extra power.
Seniors who qualify for a mobility scooter due to medical necessity can obtain a prescription that reduces or eliminates their out-of-pocket costs. However, insurance companies, including Medicare and Medicaid, only pay for the most basic mobility scooter that meets a person’s medical needs.
The Cost of Additional Features
Seniors can add convenient features or accessories to their mobility scooter, such as a basket, cup/phone holder, bag or rearview mirror. These additions can add to the total cost of the scooter; seniors who want a scooter with all the bells and whistles likely will have to pay for it on their own. Medicare pays for Durable Medical Equipment (DME) if the item is reusable, used in the home for a medical reason, and it can’t be useful to someone who isn’t sick/injured. By this definition, many of the mobility scooters with extra features will fall in a murky in-between area, so seniors need to prepare for the possibility that Medicare may refuse to pay for an upgraded scooter.