DME Loan Closets and Medical Equipment Reuse in South Dakota

Quick Reference

What Has Changed

This update separates South Dakota’s former Medical Equipment Recycle and Reuse program from the reuse help available now. The older state MERR program ended in 2023, but DakotaLink currently maintains a separate recycling/reutilization program and public equipment portal. We also refreshed the Owen’s Outfitters listing, including its current phone number, no-charge lending description, and listed service area.

How DME Loan and Reuse Help Works

Durable medical equipment, usually shortened to DME, includes items used for a medical reason over time. Community programs often lend or give basic reusable items such as walkers, canes, crutches, manual wheelchairs, shower chairs, transfer benches, bedside commodes, raised toilet seats, and other home-safety equipment.

A reuse program is different from insurance. It may accept donated equipment, clean and check it, list it online, lend it, or make it available at low or no cost. Assistive technology can be broader than DME. It may include mobility aids, magnifiers, communication devices, computer access tools, daily-living aids, and home-access equipment.

Insurance and medical suppliers are usually a better route for equipment that needs a prescription, fitting, respiratory setup, custom seating, batteries, repairs, or ongoing clinical support. Medicare says Part B can cover medically necessary DME ordered for use in the home, but the way an item is rented or purchased depends on the equipment and supplier. You can check the current Medicare DME rules before buying an expensive item.

If you are comparing free, reused, and covered options, the GFS medical equipment guide explains the main national routes.

Best Statewide Starting Points

DakotaLink Loans and Reused Equipment

The current DakotaLink equipment portal has two useful paths. One is a device-loan inventory. The other is a recycling/reutilization area for donated equipment. The portal says ordinary device loans are for two weeks unless a listing says otherwise.

For reused DakotaLink equipment, the portal says donated items are cleaned and checked for function before being posted. Items may be available free or at low cost when repairs are needed. Members of the public can also list assistive technology items for sale, trade, or giveaway.

This current reuse activity should not be confused with the older state Medical Equipment Recycle and Reuse program. That separate MERR program was closed in 2023. DakotaLink’s present recycling/reutilization portal is the current route to check.

DakotaLink can also help if a needed device is not free. Its assistive technology loan fund offers financing for eligible disability-related equipment and access improvements. This is a loan, not a grant or free-equipment program.

Local Loan Closets and Community Options

Community inventory can change by the hour. Call before driving, especially in rural areas. Ask whether the item can be held and whether a county or membership rule applies.

Owen’s Outfitters has a current Dakota at Home listing that describes the library as open to all and serving Brookings, Lake, Lincoln, McCook, Minnehaha, Moody, and Turner counties. The listing says people should call or use the online form to set up an appointment. Its own equipment list includes mobility devices such as wheelchairs, walkers, scooters, crutches, and canes.

If no local closet has the item, ask 211 for church, nonprofit, transportation, or community-service leads. For a larger crisis involving food, rent, utilities, or an unsafe home, use the GFS emergency assistance guide.

When Coverage or a Supplier Is Better

A free loan closet can be useful for a basic item, but it should not delay medically necessary equipment. Medicare Part B covers certain medically necessary DME when a doctor or other health care provider orders it for use in the home. Depending on the item, Medicare may pay for rental or purchase. Coverage rules and cost sharing still apply.

Before choosing a supplier, use the Medicare supplier directory and ask whether the supplier is enrolled in Medicare and accepts assignment. South Dakota’s Dakota at Home directory also lists providers such as Sanford Health Equip, where insurance-billed services may require a physician order.

Use a supplier first for oxygen, ventilators, CPAP or BiPAP equipment, complex power mobility, custom seating, wound supplies, fitted braces, or other equipment needing clinical setup or ongoing service. A hospital bed or patient lift can sometimes appear in a community program, but delivery, assembly, room size, and safe use still need careful planning.

If Medicare premiums or other health costs are making the equipment harder to afford, the GFS Medicare Savings guide explains South Dakota cost-help pathways. It does not approve DME by itself.

Home Again and Independent Living Help

Some equipment needs are part of a larger move from an institution back into the community. South Dakota’s Home Again services include assistive technology and one-time supports for eligible participants. Its referral path is designed for transition needs, not as a general public DME closet. If the decision may instead involve a residential care setting, the GFS assisted living payment guide explains South Dakota payment paths.

If a disability creates ongoing home-access problems, an independent living center may also help with information, referrals, advocacy, or adaptive-device planning. Independent Living Choices serves many eastern and tribal areas, while Western Resources serves western South Dakota. These organizations are not general free-equipment warehouses, but they may help a person find the right local path. If the goal is to stay at home with personal care or household help, the GFS home care payment guide covers South Dakota ways to pay for in-home care.

When the equipment need is tied to ramps, bathroom access, or other home changes, the GFS South Dakota repair guide can help you check repair and accessibility programs.

Pickup and Transportation

In South Dakota, distance can turn a free item into a difficult project. A hospital bed may need a truck and two helpers. A wheelchair in another county may not be worth a long drive unless staff confirm that it is the right size and can be held.

If the person is enrolled in South Dakota Medicaid, check the current Medicaid transportation rules before making a special DME pickup trip. The state says covered transportation may include certain trips to pick up durable medical equipment when the medical service is covered and medically necessary, the transportation provider is enrolled, the trip follows closest-provider rules, and delivery or mailing is not an option. Trips for a first fill, equipment fitting, or equipment adjustment can also qualify under the state’s conditions.

Do not assume a ride is covered. Ask the transportation provider and Medicaid before traveling. If several prescriptions or DME items are being picked up, South Dakota says pickups should be coordinated on the same date and from the same provider when feasible.

How to Start Without Wasting Time

1. Get the exact name. Ask the therapist, doctor, nurse, or discharge planner what item is needed.
2. Get safe measurements. Record the user’s height, weight, doorway width, bathroom space, bed height, and vehicle space when relevant.
3. Call Dakota at Home. Ask for nearby loan closets, senior centers, assistive technology, and suppliers.
4. Check DakotaLink. Look for short-term loans and current reuse inventory.
5. Call the closest local lead. Confirm stock and pickup details before leaving home.
6. Call a supplier too. Do this immediately for prescribed, powered, respiratory, custom, or discharge-critical equipment.
7. Plan the backup. Ask what rental or covered option exists if the free item is gone.

What to Gather

• Exact equipment name and model, if known.
• Reason it is needed and how soon it is needed.
• User’s height, weight, and mobility limits.
• Doorway, bathroom, bed, stair, or vehicle measurements for large items.
• Doctor order, discharge note, or therapy recommendation if available.
• Medicare, Medicaid, or other insurance information.
• Town, ZIP code, county, and pickup transportation plan.
• Name and phone number of the person who can receive or pick up the item.

If several state programs may be involved, the GFS benefits portals guide can help you find the right official starting sites.

Check Used Equipment Before Taking It Home

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Waiting until discharge day to begin calling.
• Asking for “medical equipment” without naming the item.
• Driving to a closet without confirming stock or service area.
• Taking equipment without checking size, weight rating, brakes, rails, or missing parts.
• Using a community closet as the first route for oxygen or other respiratory devices.
• Assuming a free item includes delivery, setup, repairs, or training.
• Assuming every Medicaid DME pickup trip is covered.
• Using an old directory entry without calling to confirm current details.

Phone Scripts