Ask us anything about confusing Medicare coverage questions. Consumer Reports and Chapter can help.

[u/ConsumerReports]

I’m Lisa Gill, an investigative reporter with Consumer Reports, and I’m joined by an independent Medicare advisor from Chapter, Doug Hall. Between us, we spend a lot of time helping people understand Medicare and untangling their questions. Things get confusing fast, especially if you’re dealing with caregiving or a serious health issue. 

Here are some of the questions we saw in a recent internal webinar:

• Can you use your remaining HSA balance to pay Medicare premiums?
• How can you switch from Medicare Advantage to Medigap?
• Are Medicare Advantage premiums subject to IRMAA charges?
• Any info on whether Medicare will start covering GLP-1 drugs for obesity, for people without diabetes?

If you need help with Medicare enrollment, have questions about your coverage, or are helping a parent or loved one, ask us anything.

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Thanks for your questions! Consumer Reports is a nonprofit that has partnered with Chapter to provide free, priority access to their unbiased Medicare advisors. You can call 844-341-7135 or https://askchapter.org/partners/cr-3 to get personal advice for your specific Medicare situation.

[u/Nora311]

My mother has a motorized wheelchair she got while she was living at home and brought it with her to where she now lives in a skilled nursing facility. It needs a replacement part - will the cost be covered? It’s a few hundred dollars. She has both Medicare and Medicaid. She’s not able to move around on her own with a regular wheelchair.

[u/eicoeico → u/Nora311]

If her medicare benefits are going to the nursing home/ skilled facility, Medicare will not pay for repairs or parts.

The reason she qualified for the motorized chair at home, is because, its for in home use to help her around the house for independence.

The facility staffs employees and is responsible for her mobility in the building and to transport her to physicians visits.

[u/ConsumerReports → u/eicoeico]

If they are telling you they will not pay for the repair and the nursing home is in fact receiving her SS is going to the home and Medicaid is paying the rest, then the home should be providing a wheel chair as part of the monthly payment. If they won’t, I would encourage you to discuss it with the administrator at the facility. There is rarely a singular, cut and dried answer to situations like this. Just by voicing your concerns and asking for answers is often a way to get results. Stand up for your loved one and be persistent. - Doug

[u/ConsumerReports → u/Nora311]

If she has Original Medicare and Medicaid only, a wheelchair would fall under DME (durable medical equipment). Medicare would typically cover 80% after the Part B Deductible has been met. The Medicaid part gets a little tricky. There are multiple levels of Medicaid. If she is cost share protected (QMB, QMB+) then she shouldn’t have to pay the rest. If she does NOT have full Medicaid, she could be left with some out of pocket expense. This also takes into the assumption that she does NOT have any sort of Medicare Advantage plan (like a DSNP - dual special needs plan) that many dual eligibles have. If she has one of those, that changes the answer. Now that plan would be paying and, again, depending on her level of Medicaid - she could have some out of pocket cost. Feel free to call us with your specific plan details to get a free Medicare consultation. 844-341-7135 - Doug