Does MassHealth Cover Home Modifications Like Stairlifts?

Short answer: Original Medicare generally does not cover stairlifts, ramps, or similar home modifications. Depending on your situation, MassHealth, the state's Home Modification Loan Program, or veterans' benefits may be able to help — but eligibility and coverage details vary by program and can change, so treat everything below as a starting point for questions to ask, not a guarantee of coverage.

Why Medicare usually says no

Medicare's durable medical equipment benefit is built around equipment used for a medical condition in the home — things like wheelchairs and hospital beds — and stairlifts typically fall outside that definition because they're considered a home modification rather than medical equipment. If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, it's still worth calling — some plans offer supplemental benefits beyond original Medicare that traditional Medicare doesn't.

MassHealth

MassHealth is Massachusetts' Medicaid program. Some MassHealth long-term-services-and-supports programs and waivers can help members remain safely at home, and home modifications are sometimes included — but which services are covered depends on which MassHealth plan or waiver you're enrolled in and your specific circumstances. The most reliable path is to call MassHealth directly, or ask your care manager or case worker (if you have one) whether a home-modification benefit applies to your coverage.

The Home Modification Loan Program (HMLP)

Massachusetts runs a statewide Home Modification Loan Program specifically for accessibility modifications — stairlifts, ramps, bathroom modifications, and similar — for homeowners and renters who are elderly or have a disability. Loan terms, income limits, and whether any portion is forgivable have changed over time, so rather than quote figures that may be out of date, we'd point you to contacting the program directly or asking your local Council on Aging, who can also help with the paperwork.

Veterans' benefits

Veterans with a qualifying service-connected disability may be eligible for VA grants that help fund home accessibility modifications, such as the Home Improvements and Structural Alterations (HISA) grant or Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) grants. Grant amounts and eligibility rules are set by the VA and change periodically — the VA or a local Veterans Service Officer can confirm what currently applies to you.

Where to start

For most families, the fastest path through this is your town's Council on Aging or senior center — they field these questions regularly and can point you to whichever program actually fits your situation, MassHealth, HMLP, VA, or otherwise. It's also worth asking installers directly: several handle funding paperwork as part of the job, or at least know which local programs their other customers have used successfully.