How to get free stuff through Medicaid
If you have Medicaid, you can get thousands of dollars worth of free items, equipment, and services beyond basic healthcare. Most people don’t know about these benefits and never claim them. This guide shows you exactly what’s available and how to get it.
12 Free Items You Can Get Through Medicaid in 2025
1. Free Smartphone and Monthly Service
What you get: Free smartphone with unlimited talk, text, and 3-4.5GB data monthly.
Who qualifies: Every Medicaid beneficiary in all 50 states.
How to get it:
Visit www.checklifeline.org
Enter your Medicaid information
Choose your carrier (Assurance Wireless, SafeLink, Life Wireless, etc.)
Receive your free phone in 3-5 days
Cost: $0
2. Medical Equipment for Your Home
What you get: Wheelchairs, walkers, hospital beds, oxygen equipment, CPAP machines, blood sugar monitors, insulin pumps, and more.
Who qualifies: Anyone with a medical need prescribed by a doctor.
How to get it:
Ask your doctor to prescribe the equipment you need
Doctor sends prescription to a Medicaid DME supplier
Supplier handles authorization and delivers to your home
They provide setup, training, and maintenance
Cost: $0 copay in most cases
Processing time: 7-14 days
3. Incontinence Supplies Delivered Monthly
What you get: Adult diapers, protective underwear, pads, underpads – up to 400 items per month.
Who qualifies: Anyone with a medical condition causing incontinence (available in 45 states).
How to get it:
Contact suppliers like Aeroflow Urology or Home Care Delivered
They call your doctor to get a prescription
They handle Medicaid authorization
Monthly deliveries arrive at your home
Cost: $0
Savings: Up to $630/month
4. Free Rides to Doctor Appointments
What you get: Transportation to all medical appointments – taxi, rideshare, wheelchair van, or mileage reimbursement.
Who qualifies: All Medicaid beneficiaries nationwide.
How to get it:
Call your state’s transportation broker 2-4 days before appointment
Provide appointment details
Driver picks you up and takes you to appointment
Driver brings you home
Cost: $0
Find your broker: Check your Medicaid card or call member services
5. Home Modifications (Ramps, Grab Bars, Stairlifts)
What you get: Wheelchair ramps, bathroom modifications, grab bars, stairlifts, widened doorways, accessible showers.
Who qualifies: People with disabilities on HCBS waiver programs.
How to get it:
Contact your Medicaid case manager
Get assessed by occupational therapist
Case manager gets contractor bids
Medicaid approves and pays contractor
Work is completed
Funding limits: $5,000-$15,000 depending on state
Timeline: 6-12 months
6. Comprehensive Dental Care
What you get: Cleanings, fillings, crowns, root canals, dentures, extractions.
Who qualifies:
All children under 21 (all states)
Adults in 15+ states with extensive coverage
How to get it:
Find Medicaid dentist at your state’s provider directory
Make appointment
Show your Medicaid card
Receive services at no cost
Cost: $0 in most states (some states have small copays)
States with best adult coverage: Hawaii, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New Hampshire, Tennessee, California, New York
7. Eyeglasses and Hearing Aids
What you get:
Eye exams and eyeglasses (coverage varies by state)
Hearing aids and batteries (25 states for adults, all states for kids)
Who qualifies:
All children under 21 get full coverage
Adults in states with coverage
How to get it:
Get prescription from eye doctor or audiologist
Submit to Medicaid for authorization
Get glasses/hearing aids from approved provider
Replacement: Every 1-2 years for glasses, 3-5 years for hearing aids
States with NO adult coverage: Arizona, Idaho, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Tennessee, West Virginia, Wyoming (vision and hearing)
8. Free Prepared Meals Delivered to Your Home
What you get: 2 meals daily for 12 weeks, customized for your medical condition (diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease).
Who qualifies: People with chronic diseases in participating states.
Available in: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Washington, Wisconsin
How to get it:
Ask your doctor for referral after hospital discharge
Managed care plan approves service
Meal delivery company (Mom’s Meals, Community Servings) contacts you
Meals arrive at your door
Cost: $0
9. Doula Services for Pregnancy
What you get: Birth coach providing support before, during, and after childbirth. Includes 2-4 prenatal visits, labor support, and 2-4 postpartum visits.
Who qualifies: Pregnant Medicaid members in 46 states.
How to get it:
Find certified doula in your state’s directory
Contact doula directly or ask your doctor for referral
Medicaid pays doula directly
Cost: $0 to you (Medicaid pays $800-$3,200 to doula)
10. Personal Care Aide to Help at Home
What you get: Helper to assist with bathing, dressing, eating, cooking, cleaning, shopping – from a few hours weekly to 24-hour care.
Who qualifies: People with disabilities or chronic conditions who need help with daily activities.
How to get it:
Doctor assesses your needs
Medicaid assigns case manager
Case manager develops care plan
Personal care aide is assigned
In some states (NY, CA), you can hire family members
Cost: $0
11. Communication Devices and Medical Alert Systems
What you get:
Speech-generating tablets for people who can’t speak
Medical alert systems (Life Alert type devices)
Assistive technology
Who qualifies: People with communication disabilities or those at risk of falls.
How to get it:
Speech therapist evaluates and prescribes device
Medicaid authorizes
Device is delivered and programmed
Training provided
Cost: $0
12. Smoking Cessation Products and Counseling
What you get: Nicotine patches, gum, lozenges, prescription medications (Chantix), plus counseling sessions.
Who qualifies: Available in 26 states for adults, all states for pregnant women.
How to get it:
Ask your doctor about smoking cessation
Doctor prescribes medications
Pick up at pharmacy with Medicaid card
Attend counseling sessions if desired
Cost: $0 in most participating states
How to Find Out What’s Available in Your State
Step 1: Check your benefits
Call the member services number on your Medicaid card
Ask “What free equipment, supplies, and services am I eligible for?”
Request a benefits handbook
Step 2: Visit your state Medicaid website
Google “[Your State] Medicaid benefits”
Look for provider directories and covered services
Download benefit guides
Step 3: Ask your doctor
At every appointment, ask “What Medicaid benefits could help my condition?”
Request prescriptions for needed equipment
Step 4: Contact specialized suppliers
DME suppliers handle equipment (Google “Medicaid DME supplier [your state]”)
They verify coverage and handle paperwork for you
Step 5: Request a case manager
If you have complex needs, ask Medicaid for a case manager
They help you access all available benefits
Important Resources
National Lifeline (Free Phone): www.checklifeline.org | 800-234-9473
Find Your State Medicaid Office: www.medicaid.gov/about-us/contact-us
Area Agency on Aging (Home Modifications): www.eldercare.acl.gov
Medicare/Medicaid Helpline: 800-633-4227
Quick Tips to Get More Free Stuff
✅ Always ask – Most benefits aren’t advertised. You have to request them.
✅ Get everything in writing – Request prescription or referral from doctor for all equipment.
✅ Use specialized suppliers – They handle the paperwork and authorization for free.
✅ Appeal denials – If denied, ask why and submit appeal with more documentation.
✅ Check annually – Benefits change every year. Review what’s new.
✅ Children get more – All children under 21 get comprehensive coverage for everything medically necessary.
What to Do Right Now
Call member services today – Ask what free items you qualify for
Visit checklifeline.org – Get your free phone within a week
Make doctor appointment – Get prescriptions for equipment you need
Contact DME supplier – For incontinence supplies, diabetic equipment, mobility aids
Request case manager – If you have disabilities or chronic conditions
Remember: These benefits already exist. Medicaid has already paid for them. You just need to claim what’s yours. Don’t leave thousands of dollars in free equipment and services on the table.