Short answer up top, then the exact rule. Here's what Original Medicare does and doesn't cover for crutches in 2026 — and where a Medicare Advantage plan can fill the gap.
Quick answer: Yes. Crutches and canes are durable medical equipment, and Part B covers them when your doctor or other provider orders them for use in your home. After the Part B deductible you pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount when the supplier accepts assignment. White canes for the blind are not covered.
Medicare Advantage plans cover the same medically necessary DME, but they set the copay and usually require an in-network supplier. On an item this inexpensive, people often just buy crutches retail — which means Medicare and the plan pay nothing. If you want it covered, start with the provider's order and an enrolled supplier, not the pharmacy shelf.
Anyone recovering from a fracture, sprain, or surgery, and anyone who needs a cane for balance. The two steps that decide whether it's covered: a provider's order for home use, and a Medicare-enrolled supplier that accepts assignment.
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See 2026 Medicare Costs →Yes, when your doctor or other provider orders them for use in your home. Crutches are durable medical equipment under Part B, and you pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount after the Part B deductible if your supplier accepts assignment.
Yes — canes are covered as durable medical equipment under Part B on the same terms as crutches. The one exception Medicare names is white canes for the blind, which are not covered.
Coverage gaps in Original Medicare — like crutches — are exactly what a Medicare Advantage or Medigap plan is meant to fill. Our free Enrollment Finder shows the window you can switch in, and the guide library walks through the trade-offs. This page is free to share with anyone weighing their options.
Open the Enrollment Finder →This answer is based on U.S. government Medicare coverage rules: