DME Loan Closets and Medical Equipment Reuse in Iowa

What Has Changed

• We rechecked Iowa’s statewide aging and disability routes. Iowa Health and Human Services still lists six Area Agencies on Aging covering all 99 counties, and the statewide ADRC/Iowa Compass number remains 1-800-779-2001.
• Easterseals still describes its reuse program as a long-term DME loan service with a one-time fee, but its public fee sheet is still dated as current on 1 January 2023. This update does not present those old dollar amounts as guaranteed 2026 prices. Confirm the current fee before pickup.
• The local loan-closet examples below were rechecked. Their current pages still describe active equipment lending, but stock, hours, deposits, and service areas can change without notice.

How Iowa Equipment Help Works

An equipment loan closet lends donated or reused items such as walkers, wheelchairs, commodes, bath chairs, crutches, transfer benches, and sometimes hospital beds or patient lifts. Some programs charge nothing. Others ask for a refundable deposit, a donation, or a one-time service fee.

Iowa Compass explains that loan length varies. Some programs allow long-term use, while others set a return date. Most still expect the item back when it is no longer needed. The same resource says local inventories commonly include wheelchairs, commodes, canes, walkers, shower chairs, crutches, and hospital beds.

This is different from insurance. Medicare and Medicaid use medical-necessity, supplier, and documentation rules. A community loan closet usually works from donated stock and may be much faster for a basic temporary need. Families often save time by using both tracks together.

Iowa’s ADRC network connects older adults and people with disabilities to local services. Iowa HHS says the network includes Area Agencies on Aging and Disability Access Points. For wider help with food, utilities, healthcare, housing, and other programs, keep our Iowa senior benefits guide nearby.

Best Statewide Starting Points

Easterseals Iowa DME Program

The most detailed public rules are in the Easterseals DME FAQ, updated 4 February 2025. It says to call first and confirm inventory. If the item is available, the borrower needs a note or prescription from a medical practitioner specifying the equipment. The borrower then completes an application and arranges pickup.

The same FAQ says there is a one-time cost for each piece of DME, limited scholarships may help when the fee is a barrier, and the equipment can be used as long as needed. A DME application is generally good for one year, but a new medical note or prescription is needed for each piece of equipment.

Important fee caution: Easterseals still links to a posted fee schedule that says it was current as of 1 January 2023. Because that document is older than this 2026 update, use it only as a rough reference. Ask for the current fee before agreeing to pickup or transport.

The FAQ also says all equipment remains Easterseals property and should be returned when no longer needed if still usable. If an item does not meet the borrower’s needs, the FAQ describes a 14-day window to contact the program about a possible refund or replacement from available inventory.

Local Iowa Loan Closets

Local closets can be easier than a statewide trip for a basic item. The programs below are examples, not a complete Iowa directory. Stock can change daily, and a program may change hours or service rules. Call before you leave home.

If none of these are close, call Iowa Compass and ask for a wider radius. The best option may be in the next county rather than the nearest large city.

Check Fit and Safety First

A free item is not a good deal if it creates a fall, skin, transfer, or lifting problem. For wheelchairs, lifts, beds, and bathroom equipment, ask a physical therapist, occupational therapist, nurse, or other clinician for fitting help when possible.

When Medicare or Medicaid May Be Better

A community closet is often fastest for a basic temporary item. Insurance may be better when the equipment is medically necessary for long-term home use, needs professional fitting, or requires ongoing service.

Medicare DME coverage says Part B covers medically necessary DME for home use when a doctor or other health care provider orders it. After the Part B deductible, a person with Original Medicare generally pays 20% of the Medicare-approved amount when the supplier accepts assignment. Supplier participation matters, so confirm the supplier’s Medicare status before accepting the item.

Iowa’s State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIIP) offers free Medicare counseling. The SHIIP contact page lists 1-800-351-4664. SHIIP does not lend equipment, but it can help a Medicare beneficiary understand coverage, supplier rules, and cost-help options. If the senior has limited income and resources, our Iowa Medicare Savings guide explains a separate path that may help with Medicare costs.

For Iowa Medicaid, Medicaid Member Services lists 1-800-338-8366, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Iowa Medicaid also publishes DME prior-authorization rules for providers. Ask the member’s managed care organization what supplier, order, or authorization is required before buying equipment yourself.

If the family needs help using Iowa’s online benefit systems, the Iowa benefits portals guide can help organize where to apply and whom to call.

What to Gather Before You Call

• The senior’s county, ZIP code, phone number, and best contact person
• The exact item needed and the date it is needed
• Height, weight, mobility limits, fall risk, and any size requirement
• Doorway width, bathroom type, stairs, and room measurements for large items
• Doctor, therapist, hospital, home health, or hospice contact information
• A prescription or medical note if already available
• Medicare, Medicaid, Medicare Advantage, or other insurance information
• A pickup plan: vehicle size, helpers, straps, and a safe place to unload
• A small budget for a fee, deposit, fuel, or replacement part

If a family caregiver is coordinating equipment along with hands-on care, our Iowa caregiver programs guide may help with the broader care plan.

Phone Scripts

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Waiting until discharge day to make the first equipment call
• Driving to a closet without confirming current stock
• Accepting a wheelchair without measuring seat width and doorways
• Taking a lift without the correct sling or safe-use training
• Assuming an old online fee sheet shows today’s exact price
• Buying expensive DME before checking Medicare or Medicaid rules
• Leaving donations outside an organization without permission

Donating Equipment in Iowa

Call before donating. Easterseals asks donors to schedule an appointment, and its FAQ says it may refuse unusable equipment. It also lists items it does not accept, including hearing aids, oxygen tanks, manual hospital beds, eyeglasses, CPAP machines, prosthetic devices, diabetic supplies, and several other medical items.

Iowa Compass has a donate equipment guide that points people to equipment donation listings and suggests checking nursing homes, home health agencies, or hospice agencies. Clean the item, keep chargers and accessories together, and ask whether the organization wants photos before you transport a large device.