Does Medicare cover adult diapers and incontinence supplies?

Does Original Medicare pay for adult diapers?

No. Medicare.gov states that Original Medicare doesn't cover incontinence supplies or adult diapers, and that you pay 100% for non-covered items and services, including incontinence supplies and adult diapers.

Your doctor may recommend items or services that Medicare doesn't cover. Medicare.gov suggests you ask your doctor about the reasons for a recommendation and what Medicare will actually cover before you buy, so you know what you'll pay. See what else Original Medicare doesn't cover.

What bladder and bowel supplies does Medicare Part B cover?

Medicare Part B covers prosthetic devices, which replace a body part or function, when a doctor or other health care provider orders them. Medicare.gov's list of Part B-covered prosthetic devices includes:

• Urological supplies (Medicare's equipment booklet names urinary catheters among the prosthetic devices it covers)
• Ostomy bags and certain related supplies, for people who've had a colostomy, ileostomy or urinary ostomy

What do I pay for covered urological supplies?

After you meet the Part B deductible ($283 in 2026), you pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount for a covered prosthetic device such as urological supplies. Medicare only pays for a prosthetic device from a supplier that participates in Medicare, whether you or your provider submits the claim.

What you owe also depends on any other insurance you have, how much your doctor charges, whether your doctor accepts assignment, the type of facility and where you get the item. For ostomy supplies, see Does Medicare cover ostomy supplies?.

Can other coverage help pay for adult diapers?

Possibly. Medicare.gov says that if you need items Part A or Part B don't cover, you pay for them yourself unless you have other health coverage that helps with the cost, or you're in a Medicare Advantage Plan, Medicare Cost Plan or Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) plan that covers them.

Some Medicare Advantage Plans (Part C) offer extra benefits that Original Medicare doesn't cover. Benefits, rules and costs vary by plan, so contact the plan for more information before you rely on it for incontinence supplies. See how Medicare Advantage differs from Original Medicare.

Does Medigap pay for adult diapers?

Generally not. Medigap (Medicare Supplement Insurance) plans help cover your share of costs, like copayments, coinsurance and deductibles, for services Original Medicare covers, and Original Medicare doesn't cover incontinence supplies or adult diapers, so there is no Medicare share of those costs for a Medigap policy to help pay. Medicare.gov's example of a service some Medigap policies cover beyond Original Medicare is emergency care when you travel outside the U.S.