Medicare guidelines indicate that in order to allow coverage of a Power Operated Vehicle, a Medicare beneficiary must, among other requirements:
- Have a mobility limitation that significantly impairs his or her ability to participate in activities of daily living, such as toileting, feeding, dressing, grooming, and bathing
- Be unable to sufficiently and safely resolve this limitation by the use of an appropriately-fitted cane or walker
- Lack sufficient upper extremity function to self-propel an optimally-configured manual wheelchair in the home
You need a prescription from your physician prior to purchasing the POV, and the physician and supplier must complete a Certificate of Medical Necessity (CMN). For further information, you can consult National Government Service’s Local Coverage Determination regarding these issues.
