DME Loan Closets and Medical Equipment Reuse in Iowa

Last updated: 27 May 2026

Bottom Line: Iowa does not have one free medical equipment office that serves every county the same way. Start with the Easterseals DME program for statewide reuse, use Iowa Compass closets to search by ZIP code, and call your Iowa aging office if the senior is age 60 or older, cannot travel, or needs local help.

Emergency help now

The statewide loan program is useful, but it is not built for overnight needs. Easterseals says its durable medical equipment loan program is not an emergency service. If a senior is leaving a hospital or rehab center soon, start several calls at the same time.

• If discharge is today or tomorrow: ask the hospital social worker, discharge planner, physical therapist, or occupational therapist which local loan closet they use most often.
• If the person needs a walker, commode, shower chair, or wheelchair fast: call Iowa Compass at 1-800-779-2001 and ask for loan closets near the senior’s ZIP code.
• If the person is age 60 or older: ask the county Area Agency on Aging about nearby closets, ride help, caregiver help, and short-term support.
• If Medicare should pay: call Iowa SHIIP at 1-800-351-4664 before buying an expensive item out of pocket.

Quick help

• Best statewide reuse path: Easterseals Iowa for refurbished beds, wheelchairs, lifts, ramps, and bathroom devices.
• Best search help: Iowa Compass. Ask them to search the words “Loan Closet” and “Assistive Technology Loan Program.”
• Best older-adult path: the Iowa Aging and Disability Resource Center network and local Area Agencies on Aging.
• Best insurance question path: Iowa SHIIP for Medicare, or Iowa Medicaid Member Services for Medicaid.
• Best backup path: use the Iowa Assistive Technology Exchange if a loan closet has nothing in stock.

Contents

• Emergency help now
• Quick help
• How Iowa help works
• Best statewide starting points
• Easterseals Iowa DME program
• Local Iowa loan closets
• Easiest and hardest items
• How to start
• If closets are empty
• Donating equipment

How Iowa equipment help works

A durable medical equipment loan closet lends or reuses items such as walkers, wheelchairs, shower chairs, commodes, crutches, transfer benches, raised toilet seats, hospital beds, and patient lifts. Some closets are free. Some ask for a deposit. Some ask for a donation. Easterseals Iowa uses a one-time service fee for many long-term durable medical equipment loans.

This help is not the same as buying equipment from a medical supplier. It is also not the same as Medicare Part B coverage. A loan closet can be a bridge while you wait for insurance approval, while a senior recovers, or while the family decides what item fits the home.

Iowa has a statewide assistive technology system, but real help is still local. The Iowa ADRC network includes Disability Access Points, Area Agencies on Aging, and the ADRC call center. Iowa HHS also says six AAAs cover all 99 counties. That matters because a rural senior may need a nearby church closet, not a statewide pickup in Des Moines.

For a wider view of state help, keep this page focused on equipment first. Then use the Iowa senior benefits guide for food, housing, utilities, tax relief, and other support.

Best statewide starting points

Use the statewide resources first when you do not know which closet serves the senior’s county. They can save you from driving to an office that has no inventory.

Easterseals Iowa DME program

The Easterseals Iowa program is the main statewide reuse option for larger durable medical equipment. Easterseals says it takes in donated, used devices and durable medical equipment, sanitizes and refurbishes them, and provides them to Iowans for a small service fee for as long as needed.

The current posted Easterseals DME FAQ says to call first at 515-309-2395 or 1-866-866-8782. If the item is available, you need a note or prescription from a medical practitioner that names the equipment. You then complete the application and set up a pickup time. Easterseals says all equipment is picked up from its Assistive Technology Center.

The same FAQ says durable medical equipment is available to all persons in need in Iowa when inventory and paperwork are available. It also says there are limited scholarships if cost is a barrier. A completed application is good for one year, but a new medical note is needed for each piece of equipment.

Practical reality check: Easterseals does not keep a waiting list. If the item is not in stock, ask when to call back and keep searching local closets through Iowa Compass.

These examples come from the posted Easterseals fee schedule, which says it was current as of 1 January 2023. Fees can change, so confirm the amount before pickup.

Do not confuse DME with the Lending Library

Easterseals also has a Lending Library. This is a different service. It lets Iowans and their support teams borrow up to five devices for 30 days at no cost to try them before buying. This is helpful for daily living aids, communication tools, and other assistive technology trials. It is not the same as the long-term DME reuse program for larger items.

Local Iowa loan closets

Local closets can be faster than the statewide path when you need a basic item and cannot drive to Des Moines. The tradeoff is that stock changes often. A closet can list wheelchairs online and have none today. Call before you drive.

These are useful examples, not a full statewide list. If none are near you, ask Iowa Compass to widen the search. For family caregivers helping with more than equipment, the Iowa disability guide can help you find disability offices, legal help, housing help, and care options.

What equipment is easiest or hardest to find

The items that turn over most often are usually the basic recovery items. Iowa Compass says typical loan closet items can include wheelchairs, commodes, canes, walkers, shower chairs, crutches, and hospital beds.

• Often easier: walkers, canes, crutches, commodes, shower chairs, raised toilet seats, bath benches, and basic manual wheelchairs.
• Sometimes available: hospital beds, transfer boards, ramps, Hoyer lifts, transport chairs, overhead tables, and lift chairs.
• Often harder: power wheelchairs, scooters, bariatric sizes, special cushions, correct-size slings, power-chair batteries, and items that need chargers.

For larger items, give exact details on the first call. Say the person’s height, weight, seat width if known, doorway width, bathroom layout, and whether the home has steps. A free item is not safe if it is the wrong size.

How to start without wasting time

Use this order when you need equipment in Iowa and do not know where to begin.

1. Write down the exact item. “Wheelchair” is not enough. Say manual wheelchair, transport chair, power chair, or bariatric wheelchair if you know.
2. Call Iowa Compass. Ask for loan closets near the ZIP code. If nothing is close, ask them to widen the search radius.
3. Call Easterseals Iowa. Ask if the item is in statewide inventory, whether a medical note is needed, and what the fee is.
4. Call the aging office. If the person is older, ask about local closets, transportation, and caregiver support.
5. Ask the care team. A hospital, rehab center, home health agency, or hospice team may know which local closet is still active.
6. Check insurance. If the item is medically necessary, ask whether Medicare, Medicaid, or a Medicare Advantage plan should cover it.

For Medicare, Medicare DME coverage says Part B can cover medically necessary DME for home use when ordered by a doctor or other health care provider. After the Part B deductible, the person usually pays 20% of the Medicare-approved amount if the supplier accepts assignment. For Iowa Medicaid, use Medicaid Member Services if you do not know which plan or supplier to call.

If the senior may qualify for help with Medicare costs, this Iowa Medicare Savings guide may help. For a broad Medicaid overview, see Medicaid for seniors after you confirm the urgent equipment need.

What to gather before you call

• The senior’s name, county, ZIP code, and phone number
• The exact item needed and when it is needed
• Height, weight, mobility limits, and fall risk
• Doctor, therapist, hospital, home health, or hospice contact
• Prescription or medical note, if available
• Doorway width, bathroom type, bed height, and number of steps
• Vehicle size and who can lift the item
• Medicare, Medicaid, or Medicare Advantage card details
• Budget for a fee, deposit, or fuel for pickup

If you are gathering papers for several benefits at once, use the documents checklist to keep proof of income, insurance cards, ID, medical notes, and contact details in one place.

Phone scripts

Use short calls. Say the item, the deadline, and the county first. These scripts can help.

Reality checks

• Inventory changes fast: donation-based closets do not have live stock like a store.
• Pickup can be hard: large items may need a truck, straps, two adults, and a safe place to unload.
• Not all items are safe: check brakes, rubber tips, wheels, locks, rust, mold, slings, batteries, and chargers.
• Insurance takes time: Medicare and Medicaid may need a provider order, supplier paperwork, and approval steps.
• Free is not always best: the wrong wheelchair, bed, or bath chair can create a fall risk.

If the equipment need is part of a bigger crisis, such as unsafe housing, shutoff risk, or no ride home, use the Iowa emergency help guide for other fast-start options.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Waiting until discharge day to start calling
• Driving to a closet without checking stock
• Accepting a wheelchair without checking seat width
• Forgetting footrests, leg rests, slings, rails, or chargers
• Confusing the Easterseals Lending Library with the DME reuse program
• Buying a costly item before asking if Medicare or Medicaid may cover it
• Leaving donated equipment outside a building without an appointment

If closets do not have the item

Do not stop after one “no.” Try these next steps.

• Call back later: stock changes when families return or donate items.
• Widen the county search: ask Iowa Compass to look in nearby towns and regional hubs.
• Ask local groups: Iowa Compass suggests checking VFW posts, American Legion posts, and local places of worship when formal closets do not show up.
• Search used listings: the AT Exchange can show used, loaned, wanted, or for-sale assistive technology items.
• Use the marketplace: Easterseals also describes an AT Marketplace for Iowans who want to buy or sell used assistive technology.
• Ask about coverage: if the item is medically necessary, ask the doctor, supplier, Medicare plan, or Medicaid plan what proof is needed.
• Ask local charities: the charity finder can help you make a local call list when formal programs are full.

If the real problem is that the home is unsafe for a walker, wheelchair, or hospital bed, see the Iowa housing guide for home repair and housing paths that may fit better.

Donating equipment in Iowa

Donation rules matter. Do not leave equipment outside a church, clinic, or office. Easterseals asks donors to schedule first, and the FAQ says donations should be usable. It also lists items it does not accept, such as hearing aids, oxygen tanks, manual hospital beds, eyeglasses, CPAP machines, diabetic supplies, and several other items.

Iowa Compass has a donate equipment guide that suggests checking donation listings, nursing homes, home health agencies, or hospice agencies. Call first, clean the item, keep all parts together, and ask if they need photos before accepting it.

Resumen en español

En Iowa no hay una sola oficina que entregue equipo médico gratis en todos los condados. Empiece con Easterseals Iowa si necesita una cama de hospital, silla de ruedas, elevador, rampa o equipo de baño. Llame primero para confirmar si el equipo está disponible, qué nota médica necesita y cuál es el costo.

También llame a Iowa Compass al 1-800-779-2001 y pida una búsqueda por código postal usando las palabras “Loan Closet” y “Assistive Technology Loan Program.” Si la persona tiene 60 años o más, llame a la Area Agency on Aging de su condado para preguntar por un closet cercano, transporte y ayuda para cuidadores. Si Medicare o Medicaid debería pagar el equipo, hable con SHIIP, Medicaid o el plan de salud antes de comprar el artículo.

FAQ

Is there one Iowa office that gives free medical equipment statewide?

No. Iowa has a statewide reuse program through Easterseals Iowa, but many free or low-cost items come from local loan closets. Start statewide, then call local options.

Is Easterseals Iowa free?

Not for most long-term durable medical equipment loans. Easterseals posts one-time fees for many items. The separate Lending Library can loan up to five trial devices for 30 days at no cost.

Do I need a doctor’s note?

For Easterseals Iowa’s DME program, yes. The posted FAQ says you need a note or prescription from a medical practitioner that names the needed equipment. Local closets may have simpler rules.

Can I keep borrowed equipment as long as needed?

Sometimes. Easterseals says DME can be used as long as needed. Some local closets allow long use, while others are temporary. Always ask the exact program.

What should I do if a rural senior has no nearby closet?

Call Iowa Compass and ask for a wider search radius. Then call the Area Agency on Aging, hospital discharge planner, home health agency, hospice team, and nearby faith groups.

Should I use a loan closet or Medicare?

Use a loan closet for a bridge or short-term need. If the item is medically necessary for home use, ask the doctor and supplier whether Medicare should cover it.

Can I donate my parent’s equipment?

Usually, but call first. Programs may refuse unsafe, broken, incomplete, or hard-to-clean items. Clean the item and keep all parts, chargers, slings, rails, and manuals together.

About This Guide

This guide uses official federal, state, local, and other high-trust nonprofit and community sources mentioned in the article.

Editorial note: This guide is produced based on our Editorial Standards using official and other high-trust sources, regularly updated and monitored, but not affiliated with any government agency and not a substitute for official agency guidance. Individual eligibility outcomes cannot be guaranteed.

Verification: Last verified 27 May 2026, next review 27 August 2026.

Corrections: Please note that despite our careful verification process, errors may still occur. Email info@grantsforseniors.org with corrections and we will respond within 72 hours.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not legal, financial, medical, tax, disability-rights, immigration, or government-agency advice. Program rules, policies, and availability can change. Readers should confirm current details directly with the official program before acting.

Last updated: 27 May 2026

Next review: 27 August 2026