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Paying for it
Help paying for a home elevator
What VA grants, Medicare, Medicaid and the tax rules actually say about home elevators – quoted from the agencies themselves, with dates.
The programsMedicareVeteransMedicaidTaxesNext stepsQuestions
The short answer
- Medicare: no – it calls elevators a “convenience item.”
- VA: the best chance for eligible veterans – SAH up to $126,526 and SHA up to $25,350 for FY 2026, plus HISA.
- Medicaid: some state waivers pay for accessibility changes; some exclude elevators.
- Taxes: part of the cost may count as a medical expense (IRS Publication 502).
Checked September 2026. Every figure on this page names its publisher and date.
Every program, in one table
| Program | Can it help with a home elevator? | Amount | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| VA housing grants (SAH, SHA) | Possibly, for eligible veterans – the grants can be used to “buy, build, or change your permanent home” | Up to $126,526 (SAH) or $25,350 (SHA), FY 2026 | VA grants |
| VA HISA | Possibly, for home changes linked to a disability; porch lifts and stair glides are excluded | $6,800 or $2,000, lifetime | VA grants |
| Medicare | No – elevators are a “convenience item; not primarily medical in nature” | None | Medicare |
| Medicaid waivers | Sometimes – depends on your state’s waiver; some exclude elevators | Set by each state | Medicaid |
| Tax deduction (IRS Pub 502) | Partly – the cost minus any increase in home value, above 7.5% of AGI | Depends on your return | Tax rules |
Sources: VA.gov, Nov 2025; VA Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service, Feb 2025; CMS, NCD 280.1, eff. Jun 2025; Georgia DBHDD; IRS Publication 502, 2025.
Medicare: no
Medicare’s durable medical equipment reference list is explicit: elevators – “Deny – convenience item; not primarily medical in nature.” Stairway elevators get the same answer. Medicare does cover seat lift mechanisms under set conditions, which is a different product.
Sources: CMS, NCD 280.1, eff. Jun 2025; CMS, NCD 280.1 (version 1), Apr 2003.
Veterans: the strongest option
For fiscal year 2026, VA’s Specially Adapted Housing grant goes up to $126,526 and the Special Housing Adaptation grant up to $25,350. The money can be used up to six times over a lifetime to “buy, build, or change your permanent home.” VA does not list elevators by name on that page, so ask whether yours qualifies. Separately, HISA pays up to $6,800 or $2,000 for home changes linked to a disability.
Sources: VA.gov, Nov 2025; VA Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service, Feb 2025.
Medicaid: depends on your state
Federal rules let states pay for “environmental modifications to install necessary accommodations for accessibility” through home and community-based waivers. But each state writes its own list and caps – and some exclude elevators. Georgia’s NOW and COMP waivers, for example, list “chairlifts, elevators” among excluded items.
Sources: CMS informational bulletin, Jun 2015; Georgia DBHDD.
Taxes: part of the cost may count
IRS Publication 502 lets a medical home improvement count as a medical expense – but the cost is reduced by any increase in your home’s value, and the IRS notes that “elevators generally add value to the house.” Only total medical expenses above 7.5% of your adjusted gross income are deductible, and only if you itemize.
Source: IRS Publication 502, 2025.
What to do, in order
- Veterans: ask your VA office about SAH, SHA and HISA before you sign anything, and get VA’s answer before work starts.
- Medicaid members: ask your state Medicaid agency or waiver case manager whether your waiver covers home accessibility adaptations, and whether it excludes elevators.
- Everyone: ask your doctor to document why the elevator is medically necessary, and ask an appraiser how much it adds to your home’s value – both matter for the tax deduction.
- Local help: the federal Eldercare Locator (1-800-677-1116) connects older adults with local agencies that may know of state and county home-modification programs.
- Financing: ask installers whether they offer financing, and compare it with a loan from your own bank or credit union. We do not list lenders or rates.
- Compare quotes with the same questions for each installer, so any help you get goes as far as it can.
Source: Eldercare Locator (ACL).
Questions
Paying for it: quick answers
Are there grants for home elevators?
For veterans, yes: VA’s SAH and SHA grants and the HISA benefit can pay for home changes, and you can ask whether an elevator qualifies. For others, some state Medicaid waivers and local programs help with accessibility changes. We found no general federal grant for home elevators outside VA programs.
Does Medicare pay for a home elevator?
No. Medicare’s equipment list marks elevators “Deny – convenience item; not primarily medical in nature.”
Is a home elevator tax deductible?
Partly, in some cases. IRS Publication 502 counts a medical home improvement as a medical expense, less any increase in the home’s value, and only medical expenses above 7.5% of AGI are deductible. Ask a tax professional.
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