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Louisiana medical equipment help
Last updated: 17 September 2026
Louisiana has several ways to borrow, reuse, or get help paying for durable medical equipment (DME). The best route depends on whether you need a quick loaner, a long-term item, or equipment that must be fitted and ordered through insurance.
Bottom Line
Start with the LATAN AT Marketplace for statewide assistive-technology reuse. Then use Louisiana’s ADRC directory to find the aging or disability office serving your parish. If the equipment is needed for months or years, ask the doctor to start Medicare, Medicaid, or health-plan coverage at the same time.
If Discharge Is Today
Tell the hospital, rehabilitation center, or home-health team exactly what equipment is needed before the person leaves. A discharge planner or therapist may know local closets and can help start an insurance order.
- Ask the therapist for the exact item and size: standard walker, rollator, transport chair, wheelchair, commode, shower chair, or another device.
- Ask whether the item is safe to borrow temporarily or must be fitted by a medical supplier.
- Call or text Louisiana 211 if you need a same-day local referral. Dial 2-1-1 or text your ZIP code to 898-211.
- Do not delay a doctor order when the item is medically necessary for long-term home use.
Start Here
- Search LATAN first. Ask what is available now and whether the item is a no-cost reuse loan, a trial device loan, or another program.
- Call the parish referral network. Your regional aging office can point you to Councils on Aging, disability centers, churches, and nearby closets. Our Louisiana aging agencies guide explains how this network works.
- Run the insurance track too. For equipment needed long term, ask the doctor and health plan what order, medical notes, supplier, and prior authorization are required.
Quick Help in Louisiana
| Need | Start with | What to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Statewide reuse search | LATAN Marketplace | Is the item available now, is it an open-ended loan, and can it be shipped? |
| Parish-level closet leads | Local ADRC or Council on Aging | Which local closet, church, nonprofit, or neighboring parish has this exact item? |
| Short-term trial | LATAN Device Loan | What loan term and fee apply to this device today? |
| Long-term medical use | Doctor and health plan | Is a prescription, prior authorization, or enrolled supplier required? |
| No program has the item | 211 and local charities | Who has donated equipment or emergency help within driving distance? |
What Has Changed
- Louisiana’s live aging directory now carries current office contacts, so this guide uses that directory instead of relying on a static statewide phone list.
- LATAN still lists no-charge, open-ended reuse through its Marketplace. Its separate device-trial page also describes borrowing for up to 90 days and, elsewhere on the same page, a 35-day loan for a small fee. Confirm the term for your device before pickup.
- Louisiana Medicaid still lists DME as a covered service for Medicaid recipients when prescribed and prior authorized. Health-plan procedures can differ, so verify the supplier and authorization path before buying an item yourself.
Verified Reuse and Loan Programs
Community equipment programs are useful when a senior needs a basic device quickly, cannot afford a new item, or needs something while an insurance request is pending. Inventory changes often, so call before driving.
LATAN AT Marketplace
What it helps with: The Louisiana Assistive Technology Access Network, or LATAN, runs a statewide reuse marketplace. It lists gently used assistive technology in mobility, hearing, vision, daily living, communication, computer access, environmental adaptation, and transportation categories.
Who may use it: LATAN serves people of all ages with disabilities or functional limitations. Its Marketplace says many items are available at no charge through open-ended loans.
How to start: Browse the Marketplace or call LATAN at 1-225-925-9500. Some devices may be shipped, but shipping is not promised for every item.
| Program | What it may offer | Important limit |
|---|---|---|
| 232-HELP loan program | Wheelchairs, crutches, walkers, and other medical appliances at no cost when available. | Inventory is donation-based. Call 1-337-232-4357 before traveling. |
| @SLIC Loaner Closet | Shower chairs, walkers, wheelchairs, and other standard or specially needed equipment. | Availability depends on donations and funding. Main Lake Charles office: 1-337-477-7194. |
| Terrebonne Lending Closet | Hospital beds, shower chairs, canes, walkers, bedside commodes, and occasional unique items. | For people age 60+ or disabled adults 21+ who are not receiving duplicate service. Closet line: 1-985-868-5546. |
| Cancer Services equipment | Wheelchairs, walkers, rollators, shower chairs, transfer benches, canes, commodes, and related supplies. | For cancer-related needs. Equipment loans are no cost and can last up to six months. Call 1-225-927-2273. |
| Split Second loans | Mobility aids, communication devices, environmental controls, and adaptive computer accessories. | Temporary loans are arranged for clients while permanent solutions are pursued. Call 1-504-354-2149. |
These are verified examples, not a complete list. A parish, church, hospice, hospital foundation, or independent-living center may have a closet that is not well indexed online.
Use Louisiana’s Aging Network
The Governor’s Office of Elderly Affairs keeps a searchable directory of Aging and Disability Resource Centers, Area Agencies on Aging, and Councils on Aging. These offices do not all keep equipment on site. Their value is local knowledge: staff may know which parish office, church closet, disability center, or neighboring parish has an item this week.
Use the state’s agency directory and confirm the parish before visiting. Contacts can change. For example, the current directory lists Cajun Area Agency on Aging at 1-337-572-8940, with a toll-free number of 1-800-738-2256. It lists Caddo Council on Aging at 1-318-676-7900 and Capital Area Agency on Aging at 1-225-925-7674.
For a wider map of food, housing, utilities, health care, and other senior programs, use our Louisiana benefits guide. If disability services or accessibility are part of the problem, the Louisiana disability guide adds state and local routes.
Choose the Right Route
Not every piece of equipment should come from a donation closet. Basic mobility and bathroom-safety items are often good candidates for reuse. Equipment that delivers oxygen, supports breathing, controls pressure, or must be fitted to a person’s body usually needs a medical supplier and clinical oversight.
| Equipment | Community loaner? | Safer next step |
|---|---|---|
| Cane, walker, rollator | Often possible | Check height, tips, brakes, wheels, and weight rating. |
| Manual wheelchair | Often possible | Check seat width, brakes, footrests, cushion, and safe transfers. |
| Shower chair or commode | Often possible | Confirm cleaning, stability, weight rating, and missing parts. |
| Hospital bed | Sometimes | Ask about mattress, rails, motor, setup, pickup, and transport. |
| Power chair or custom seating | Sometimes for temporary use | Use a therapist or supplier for fit, controls, batteries, and long-term needs. |
| Oxygen, CPAP, respiratory equipment | Usually not the best route | Use a doctor and approved medical supplier for prescription, settings, supplies, and cleaning. |
For more national background on safe reuse and where to look, see our DME loan closet guide.
Check Used Equipment Before Leaving
A free device is useful only if it is complete and safe for the person using it. Test walker and wheelchair brakes. Look for cracked rubber tips, loose bolts, damaged cords, missing footrests, weak batteries, or bent frames. Ask when the item was cleaned and whether any single-user parts should be replaced.
For a hospital bed, ask whether the mattress, rails, hand control, power cord, and hardware are included. For a wheelchair, confirm seat width and weight rating. If the senior has poor balance, pressure injuries, severe weakness, or trouble transferring, ask a therapist to confirm that the borrowed item is appropriate before regular use.
Medicare and Medicaid
Medicare
Medicare DME coverage says Part B covers medically necessary durable medical equipment ordered for use in the home when Medicare rules are met. Covered examples include canes, commode chairs, CPAP equipment, hospital beds, oxygen equipment, walkers, wheelchairs, and scooters. After the Part B deductible, the standard cost is generally 20% of the Medicare-approved amount when the supplier accepts assignment.
Make sure the prescribing professional and supplier are enrolled in Medicare. Use Medicare’s supplier search to find enrolled suppliers by ZIP code and equipment type. Ask whether the supplier accepts assignment before you sign or pay.
If Medicare premiums and cost sharing are hard to afford, our Louisiana Medicare Savings guide explains programs that may help eligible Medicare beneficiaries with Medicare costs. Those programs do not replace the DME medical-necessity rules.
Louisiana Medicaid
Louisiana’s current Medicaid services page lists DME for Medicaid recipients and says covered equipment and supplies must be prescribed by a physician and prior authorized. The DME provider normally handles the prior-authorization request.
If you are in a Medicaid health plan, call member services before buying equipment. Ask which supplier is in network, whether prior authorization is required, and what medical notes must be sent. You can also use our Louisiana benefits portals guide to find the correct state account and application systems without guessing at web addresses.
Use Two Tracks
A loaner can solve today’s problem while Medicare, Medicaid, or another insurer reviews a long-term request. Do not cancel the insurance path just because you found a temporary walker or wheelchair.
How to Start Without Wasting Time
- Name the exact item. “Wheelchair” is not enough. Ask the therapist for type, seat width, weight rating, footrests, cushion, or other needed features.
- Set the time frame. Tell the office whether the need is for a few days, several weeks, or long term.
- Call before driving. Donation inventory can change within hours.
- Ask about pickup. A hospital bed may require a truck, tools, two people, and home setup.
- Inspect the device. Check brakes, wheels, tips, rails, cords, chargers, batteries, buckles, and missing parts.
- Keep the insurance request moving. A temporary community loan should not delay a medically necessary permanent solution.
What to Prepare
- The senior’s full name, parish, ZIP code, and best callback number.
- The exact equipment name and why it is needed.
- Height, weight, and important size details when fit matters.
- Discharge date or surgery date if there is a deadline.
- Doctor, therapist, home-health, or discharge-planner contact information.
- Medicare, Medicaid, VA, or health-plan information if you are also seeking coverage.
- A vehicle plan for pickup and enough help to move large equipment safely.
Phone Scripts
Calling LATAN or a closet
“I am helping an older adult in [parish]. We need a [exact item] by [date]. Do you have one available now? Is it a loan or transfer, what is the return rule, and do we need to pick it up?”
Calling an aging office
“We need a [exact item] for a senior in ZIP code [ZIP]. Which local loan closet, Council on Aging, church, or disability organization would you call first? If nothing is available here, who handles the neighboring parish?”
Calling a health plan
“The doctor says this equipment is medically necessary. Which in-network DME supplier should we use? Does the item need prior authorization, and what records must the doctor send?”
Calling after denial
“I received a denial for [item]. Please tell me the appeal deadline, the reason for denial, and what medical information is missing. Can the provider submit reconsideration or more documentation?”
Denied, Delayed, or Overwhelmed
If one closet is empty, ask for two more names before ending the call. Equipment moves between families quickly, and a nearby parish may have something your home parish does not.
If Louisiana Medicaid denies or partly denies the request, read the notice immediately. The state’s Medicaid appeal page says the notice will give the filing deadline. It also says that, for current services, appealing within 10 days of the denial can keep those services from stopping while the appeal is reviewed. A provider may also request reconsideration with more information within 30 days of the denial.
Disability Rights Louisiana may provide information, referrals, or limited assistance for disability-related issues. Its toll-free number is 1-800-960-7705. Capacity is limited, so do not assume representation is available.
If you are unsure who serves the senior’s area, the federal Eldercare Locator can connect older adults and caregivers with local aging services. Call or text 1-800-677-1116.
Backup Options
- Ask local charities. Churches and nonprofit groups sometimes keep walkers, wheelchairs, and bathroom-safety items. Our Louisiana charities guide can widen the search.
- Ask the hospital team. Social workers, therapists, and home-health agencies often know small closets that do not have strong websites.
- Ask neighboring parishes. A regional aging office may know where donations are moving this week.
- For veterans, use VA routes. Veteran households can use our Louisiana veteran guide to find VA and local veteran contacts.
Reality Checks
- Inventory is not guaranteed. Donation closets may have a walker today and none tomorrow.
- Pickup is common. Do not assume delivery, especially for beds and wheelchairs.
- Fit matters. A wrong-size wheelchair or walker can increase fall and transfer risk.
- Used does not mean ready. Check cleanliness, brakes, tips, batteries, cords, rails, cushions, and missing parts.
- Complex DME needs clinical help. Oxygen, CPAP, power mobility, custom seating, and other fitted equipment should follow the medical and supplier route.
- Storms can disrupt service. Hurricane conditions can change office hours, transportation, shipping, and local inventory.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Calling for “medical equipment” without naming the exact device.
- Driving a long distance before confirming the item is still available.
- Taking a wheelchair without checking seat width, brakes, footrests, and weight rating.
- Accepting a hospital bed without asking who transports and sets it up.
- Waiting until discharge day when a planned surgery or rehabilitation discharge is already scheduled.
- Buying an item before confirming Medicare or Medicaid supplier and authorization rules.
- Assuming a donated respiratory or fitted device is a safe substitute for prescribed equipment.
Resumen en Español
En Luisiana, empiece con LATAN para buscar equipo de asistencia reutilizado. Después use el directorio estatal de centros de envejecimiento y discapacidad para encontrar la oficina que sirve a su parroquia. También puede marcar 2-1-1 para pedir referencias locales.
Para un andador, bastón, silla de ruedas manual, silla de ducha o cómodo, un programa de préstamo puede ser una buena opción si el artículo está disponible. Para oxígeno, CPAP, silla eléctrica, asiento especial u otro equipo que necesita ajuste o receta, use al médico y un proveedor aprobado.
Si Medicaid niega el equipo, lea la carta de inmediato. La carta debe indicar la fecha límite para apelar. Pregunte qué información médica falta y pida al proveedor o al plan que explique el siguiente paso.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there one Louisiana directory for free medical equipment?
No. LATAN is the strongest statewide reuse starting point, while the Governor’s Office of Elderly Affairs directory helps you find local aging and disability offices that may know parish-level closets.
Can I get a hospital bed for free in Louisiana?
Sometimes. Terrebonne Council on Aging currently lists hospital beds in its lending closet, and other local programs may receive them by donation. Call first and ask about the mattress, rails, motor, pickup, and setup.
Does LATAN give equipment away?
LATAN’s Marketplace says many gently used devices are available at no charge through open-ended loans. Its separate Device Loan Program is for trial use and has different terms, so ask which program applies to the item you need.
Can Medicare pay for DME instead of borrowing it?
Yes, when Medicare’s coverage rules are met. The equipment must be medically necessary for home use and ordered by a doctor or other health care provider. Use a Medicare-enrolled supplier and ask whether the supplier accepts assignment.
What if Louisiana Medicaid denies the equipment?
Read the denial notice right away and follow the appeal deadline shown in it. Ask the provider what medical information is missing. For current services, Louisiana says an appeal filed within 10 days can keep those services from stopping during review.
Do loan closets deliver equipment?
Some may, but many require pickup. Ask before accepting the item, especially for a hospital bed or wheelchair. LATAN says some devices may be shipped, but shipping is not available for every item.
About This Guide
Sources: This guide uses official federal, state, local, and other high-trust nonprofit and community sources linked in the article.
Editorial note
This guide is produced under the GFS Editorial Standards using official and other high-trust sources. GFS is not affiliated with a government agency and is not a substitute for official agency guidance. Individual eligibility outcomes cannot be guaranteed.
Corrections
Despite careful verification, errors may occur. Readers may email info@grantsforseniors.org with corrections.
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, funding, and availability can change. Readers should confirm current details directly with the responsible official program before acting.
Last updated: 17 September 2026 · Next review: 17 January 2027
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