There is plenty of free medical equipment out there, if you know where to look. But be aware that most of it will be used equipment, and that does come with risks, and you must properly check the equipment for cracks and faulty parts.
That said, I have put together a list of organizations giving away free medical equipment, websites where free equipment is posted by private individuals, places to buy cheap used medical equipment, along with instructions on how to apply where necessary.
In Sacramento, you can get free home medical equipment from –
- the Ability Tools Assistive Technology Program
- AT Exchange
- reuse, recycling and refurbishing centers – “The California Assistive Technology Reuse Coalition”
- community medical equipment loan closets, such as “AbleCloset” or “American Lutheran Church Medical Equipment Closet”
- the Center for Independent Living in Sacramento – “Resources for Independent Living”
- nonprofits helping the disabled in their communities, such as “Easter Seals”
- Medicaid
- Medicare, but not free
- VA Centers
- senior centers
You can also find free used medical equipment in Sacramento using online platforms and social media sites such as –
- Craigslist.com
- usedHME.com
- Freecycle.org
- Facebook.com
- Nextdoor.com
- OfferUp.com
CONTENTS - Overview & Quick Links
Free medical equipment from Ability Tools – the California State Assistive Technology Program
Free medical equipment from the California Assistive Technology Reuse Coalition
Ability Tools Device Lending and Demo Centers in Sacramento
Centers for Independent Living in Sacramento
Medical equipment loan Closets in Sacramento
Free medical equipment online near me in Sacramento
- free used medical equipment near me in Sacramento, on Craigslist.com
- free used medical equipment near me in Sacramento, on Freecycle.org
- free used medical equipment near me in Sacramento, on UsedHME.com
- free used medical equipment near me in Sacramento, on Facebook.com
- free used medical equipment near me in Sacramento, on Nextdoor.com
- free used medical equipment near me in Sacramento, on OfferUp.com
Free medical equipment on Medicaid in California
Can you get fee home medical equipment with Medicare ?
Where to ask about free medical equipment in your neighborhood in Sacramento
Free medical equipment from Ability Tools, the State Assistive Technology Program
The task of developing access to assistive technology devices in California falls to “ABILITY TOOLS”, the California State Assistive Technology Program.
Durable medical equipment synonymous with assistive technology devices for our purposes – devices which help you to accomplish tasks of daily living, which you otherwise could not accomplish.
To fulfill its mission, Ability Tools has contracted “The California Assistive Technology Reuse Coalition”.
CATRC – is a coalition of “Reuse Programs”.
The coalition reuse programs collect and refurbish used medical equipment, for Ability Tools, put it on the system and find it new homes with individuals in need.
“The reuse programs accept donations of assistive technology devices and medical equipment, repair, and sanitize them, and then offer them to people with disabilities for free, or at low cost.” – Source here.
ABILITY TOOLS offers the following home medical equipment and assistive devices to residents of California in need –
- free short term loans home medical equipment
- free long short term loans of home medical equipment
- lend home medical equipment indefinitely for free
Ability Tools does also off the opportunity to some who do not qualify for free loans of equipment, the chance to buy refurbished durable medical equipment at greatly reduced prices.
The Ability Tools AT Exchange
Ability Tools runs an online Assistive Technology Exchange for California.
CATRC members all post their inventories of the medical equipment that they have refurbished on the AT Exchange, which allows all the centers to see what is currently available – as well as the public.
Items on the site are free, for sale or loan.
The Assistive Technology Exchange is here – http://abilitytools.org/services/at-exchange-transition.php
Here’s my illustrated article with instructions on how to use the AT Exchange included in it, “Free Medical Equipment In California: How And Where To Get It”.
Free medical equipment from the California Assistive Technology Reuse Coalition
You can see the CATRC website here.
To see if you are eligible for free durable medical equipment on a loan or a permanent basis, contact the CATRC center in your area.
The CATRC Reuse Center for Sacramento Easter Seals Superior California.
Easter Seals Superior California
Easter Seals Superior CA loans durable medical equipment to 13 counties, including Sacramento County.
Items you can borrow include –
- commodes
- shower seats
- crutches
- walkers
- wheelchairs
Address:
3205 Hurley Way
Sacramento, CA 95864
Phone: 916 485 6711
Website: https://www.easterseals.com/superior-ca/
_____________________
Ability Tools Device Lending and Demo Center for Sacramento
Ability Tools has a Device Lending and Demonstration Center in Sacramento.
Assistive technology devices are loaned out on short term loans (up to 30 days).
The Device Lending and Demonstration Center in Sacramento –
California Foundation for Independent Living Centers (CFILC)
1000 G Street, #100,
Sacramento,
CA95814
Phone: 800 390 2699
Centers for Independent Living (CILS) in
Sacramento
CIL’s, provide the support and services to people with disabilities, so that they may live independently in the community, one of which is free medical equipment loan closets for their members.
If you are disabled, you need to be a member of a CIL to gain access to their support and services.
California Foundation for Independent Living Centers (CFILC)
1000 G Street, #100,
Sacramento,
CA 95814
Phone: 916 325 1690
Website: https://www.ilrcsf.org/
Resources for Independent Living (RIL)
420 I Street, Level B, Ste 3
Sacramento,
CA 95814
Phone: 916 446 3074
Website: https://www.ril-sacramento.org/
Free medical equipment loan closets in Sacramento
A great place to find free medical equipment – usually on loan, is a community loan closet.
Typically, anyone can borrow equipment, but in some cases you may need to prove that you have a low income, or are disabled.
In Sacramento, you have at least these –
AbleCloset
The loan closet is for medical equipment for children with special needs.
They lend –
- wheelchairs
- standers
Address:
AbleCloset Equipemnt Warehouse
670 Enterprise Dr, Unit C,
Diamond Springs, CA 95050
Website: https://www.ablecloset.com/contact
___________
ALS Association Of Greater Sacramento Loan Closet
The ALS Association has a loan closet which is available to ALS patients only.
You can borrow –
- walkers
- electric wheelchairs
- manual wheelchairs
- voice amplification devices
Phone: 916 979 9265
____________
American Lutheran Church Medical Equipment Closet
The closet loans home the medical equipment for free, upon request.
You can borrow items such as –
- walkers
- canes
- crutches
- bedside commodes
- shower benches
American Lutheran Church
1114 College St,
Woodland, CA 95695
Phone: 530 662 6338
____________
Davis Senior Center Medical Equipment Closet
646 A St,
Davis, CA 95616
Phone: 530 757 5696
The loan closet is for adults in need, and you don’t have to be a Davis resident.
You can borrow items such as –
- manual wheelchairs
- walkers
- canes
- bedside commodes
- toilet seat risers
____________
Parkinson’s Association Sacramento Loan Closet
The loan closet is for Parkinson’s Assoc. members only.
The association has –
- wheelchairs
- scooters
- hospital beds
- shower equipment
Give the association a call on the number above, if you wish to donate your equipment to them.
Phone: 916 489 0026
____________
St. Paul Catholic Church Medical Equipment Loan Program
8720 Florin Rd,
Sacramento, CA 95828
Phone: 916 381 5200
The loan closet has –
- wheelchairs
- walkers
- crutches
- canes
- bedside commodes
- shower equipment
____________
Winters Community Center Medical Equipment Loan Closet
201 Railroad Ave,
Winters, CA 95694
Phone: 530 795 4824
The Winters Community Center medical equipment loan closet is available to adults in need.
The equipment available includes the items below –
- wheelchairs
- walkers
- toilet seat risers
- canes
- bedside commodes
____________
Senior Centers in the Sacramento area
Senior Centers and their members will be a mine of information on community loan closets and other programs where you can find free durable medical equipment.
I would find and check with Senior Centers in your area.
You can check the list of Senior Centers below.
Veteran Centers in Sacramento
If you are a veteran and not sure about what you are eligible for, you can contact The VA Services –
County of Sacramento: Veterans Services Office
3970 Research Drive,
Sacramento,
CA 95838
Phone: 916 874 6811
Sacramento Vet Center
1111Howe Avenue, Ste 390
Sacramento,
CA 95825-8541
Phone: 916 566 7430
Citrus Heights Vet Center
5650 Sunrise Blvd, Ste 150
Citrus Heights,
CA 95610
Phone: 916 535 0420
Concord Vet Center
1333 Willow Pass Rd, Ste 106
Concord,
CA 94520-7931
Phone: 925 680 4526
McClellan VA Clinic
5342 Dudley Boulevard
Building 88
McClellan Park, CA 95652-1012
Phone: 916 561 7400
Sacramento VA Medical Center
10535 Hospital Way
Mather, CA 95655-4200
Phone: 916 843 7000
Sierra Foothills VA Clinic
11985 Heritage Oaks Place, Ste 100
Auburn,
CA 95603-2413
Phone: 530 889 0872
Fairfield VA Clinic
103 Bodin Circle
Building 778,
Travis AFB,
CA 94535-1801
Phone: 707 437 1800
Yuba City VA Clinic
425 Plumas Boulevard,
Yuba City,
CA 95991-5074
Phone: 530 751 4500
Stockton VA Clinic
7777 South Freedom Road
French Camp,
CA 95231-9694
Phone: 209 946 3400
Howe Road VA Clinic
2860 Howe Road,
Martinez, CA 94553-4000
Phone: 925 372 2665
Martinez VA Medical Center
150 Muir Road,
Martinez,
CA 94553-4668
Phone: 925 372 2000
Free medical equipment online near me in Sacramento
Finding free home medical equipment online does not take long, and Sacramento should be as easy as anywhere else.
I’ve even seen a person offering a free hospital bed, in working condition, on Facebook Marketplace.
You can easily find free home medical equipment on the following sites –
- Craigslist.com
- Freecycle.org
- UsedHME.com
- Facebook Marketplace
- Nextdoor.com
- OfferUp
Free used medical equipment near me in Sacramento, on Craigslist
Craigslist, is a site for posting local advertisements, and for searching for items in your area, allowing you to select Sacramento, or even a smaller area within the city.
To make our lives easier, they have a category called “free stuff” !
Craigslist is free to use on all devices, and there is no membership required.
I have a quick illustrated article – “How To Get Free Medical Equipment Near Me On Craigslist ? A Quick Illustrated Guide”
Screenshot of Craigslist listings page
Screenshot example of a Craigslist garage sale page
Free Used Medical Equipment near me in
Sacramento, on FreeCycle.org
Freecycle.org is a free platform made of groups of people gifting free items to one another within the group. You can find groups all over the US, including in Sacramento.
There is no buying or selling within the groups, everything is given away for free.
Group members can also post requests for items they want.
Freecycle.org is as local as your nearest group.
A person can join as many groups as will accept them.
Here’s my quick illustrated article on how to find free used home medical equipment near you on Freecycle.org if you want to learn more – “How To Get Free Medical Equipment Near Me On Freecycle.org ? A Quick Illustrated Guide”
Screenshot of Freecyle.org page
Used medical equipment for sale or free, near me in Sacramento, on usedHME.com
This is a website exclusively for advertisements selling, buying and donating used home medical equipment, making it a very easy site to search on and to find items where you live.
You won’t need a membership, and it is all free
Searches are done by your zip code, so you can keep it as local as you wish in Sacramento, or further ranging.
I have a quick illustrated guide on how finding free used medical equipment on UsedHME.com – “How To Get Free Medical Equipment Near Me On UsedHME.com ? A Quick Illustrated Guide”
Free used medical equipment near me in Sacramento, on Facebook
Unlike Craigslist and UsedHme.com, you are going to need an account to search for free medical equipment in Sacramento, on Facebook, but it is free and easy to do.
After you have a Facebook account/membership, you can search for free items in your area –
- on buying and selling groups
- on the Facebook Marketplace
I have a quick illustrated guide on how to find free medical equipment on Facebook – “How To Get Free Medical Equipment Near Me On Facebook ? A Quick Illustrated Guide”
Screenshot of Facebook Marketplace page
Free used medical equipment near me in Sacramento, on Nextdoor.com
This is another social media platform on which you can find free used home medical equipment near you, in Sacramento.
When you join Nextdoor.com, you will only see people who live in yours, and surrounding neighborhoods of Sacramento.
You can use Nextdoor.com on desktop and mobile – just download the app for mobile.
I have a quick illustrated guide showing how to use it – “How To Get Free Medical Equipment Near Me On Nextdoor.com ? A Quick Illustrated Guide”
Screenshot of Nextdoor.com “All Listings” page
Free used medical equipment near me in Sacramento, on OfferUp
OfferUp is an app and website with which you can off-load items you don’t need, passing them on to others in Sacramento, and in our case, finding them there.
It is a “mobile first” platform, it is available on desktop as well, just go to the website OfferUp.com.
It is a free to join and use.
The video I have linked to below, is on using OfferUp, and it explains everything perfectly. Just watch the video !
Getting free medical equipment with Medicaid in California
Medi-Cal is California’s Medicaid health care program.
The lead agency is The Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), which you can visit – here.
It pays for a number of medical services for individuals and families with the lowest resources.
It may pay for everything, or provide low-cost health coverage for some.
Medi-Cal gives coverage for physical and occupational therapy and “devices” i.e. durable medical equipment, as one of its “essential health benefits”.
You will be covered if the medical equipment –
- you require is “medically necessary”
- is prescribed by a licensed medical practitioner
- satisfies your medical needs
Durable medical equipment covered includes –
- wheelchairs
- canes
- crutches
- grab bars
- walkers
- hospital beds
- oxygen therapy equipment
- augmentative communication devices
There is more information in this article “Obtaining Assistive Technology through Medi-Cal” here.
Another informative article is “An Advocate’s guide to Medi-Cal Service”, January 2020, here.
Medi-Cal Programs specifically targeting the elderly and the disabled
Medi-Cal has programs called Medi-Cal waivers, also known as HCBS (Home and Community Based Services) programs or waivers, which are designed to find elderly and the disabled adults who may be about to enter long term nursing facilities, but who with assistance could remain living independently in their homes.
Durable Medical Equipment or Assistive Devices, on these waivers, if prescribed as “medically necessary” by the beneficiary’s medical provider, will often be covered 100%.
The Medi-Cal waivers only have a limited number of places available, and if full, applicants will be put on a waiting list.
Here are Medi-Cal waivers –
Home and Community-Based Alternatives Waiver – read it here.
Self-Determination Program – read it here.
The Multipurpose Senior Services Program (MSSP) Waiver – read about this here.
The sources for this section on Medi-Cal are –
“Obtaining Assistive Technology Through Medi-Cal” – https://www.disabilityrightsca.org/system/files/file-attachments/558301.pdf
“Medi-Cal waivers – https://www.dhcs.ca.gov/services/Pages/Medi-CalWaivers.aspx
The California Department of Health Care Services” – https://www.dhcs.ca.gov/
Can you get free home medical equipment with Medicare ?
Obviously, Medicare is not free, but you can make some large savings.
Medicare Part B, with some stipulations, gives insurance coverage to some durable medical equipment.
You can check my article outlining the rules, and scenarios for differently priced pieces of equipment, to see when it is worth using your Medicare Part B coverage to pay for durable medical equipment.
That article is here, “Can You Get Free Medical Equipment With Medicare ?”
Where to ask about free medical equipment in your neighborhood in Sacramento
The organizations and administrations below all work with seniors, immigrants, the homeless and families in need, in Sacramento.
The organizations have a wealth of knowledge due to all the services they run, so you can make contact and ask them about the resources in your area –
- Area Agency on Aging in Sacramento – Agency On Aging Area 4
- Social Services – Sacramento County Department of Human Assistance
- Lions Clubs
- Rotary Clubs
- Catholic Charities of California – County of Sacramento
- Society of St. Vincent de Paul of Sacramento
- The Jewish Federation of the Sacramento Region
- Lutheran Social Services – Northern California
- Local church communities
Area Agency on Aging in Sacramento
The agency in Sacramento is –
Agency On Aging Area 4
Address:
1401 El Camino Ave, 4th Fl,
Sacramento,
CA 95815
Phone: 916 486 1876
Website: https://agencyonaging4.org/
Lions Clubs
Check to see if you can find a Lions club near you in Sacramento, and ask if they know of a loan closet for free medical equipment in the area.
Here’s my quick illustrated guide outlining how to find a Lions Club near you, which you can read here.
Rotary Clubs
Check to see if you have a Rotary Club in your area in Sacramento, and ask if they know of any medical equipment loan closets.
Use the Rotary club locator tool to help you find a club near you.
Take a look at my quick, illustrated guide on how to locate a Rotary Club near you, that you can read here.
The Catholic Charities of California – County of Sacramento
They run a number of programs, so I am listing a few telephone numbers and addresses, any of them may be able to help you.
Their website is here – https://catholiccharitiesca.org/where-we-operate/
Addresses –
2110 Broadway,
Sacramento, CA 95818
Phone: 916 733 0100
3308 Third Avenue,
Sacramento, CA 95817
Phone: 916 313 7604
Central Region – Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services
Family Services Campus – Oak Park
3333 Third Avenue,
Sacramento, CA 95817
Phone: 916 456 1980
Food Bank Services Campus
1951 Bell Avenue,
Sacramento, CA 95838
Phone: 916 925 3140
Society of St. Vincent de Paul of Sacramento
Society of Vincent de Paul sometimes runs medical equipment loan closets, and even out of their thrift stores, so you can contact them to get more ideas.
Address:
P.O. Box 162487,
Sacramento,
CA 95816-2487
Phone: 916 972 1212
Website – https://www.svdp-sacramento.org/
The Jewish Federation of the Sacramento Region
Address:
2130 21st St,
Sacramento,
CA 95818
Phone: 916 486 0906
The Jewish Federation of the Sacramento region website: http://www.jewishsac.org/
Lutheran Social Services – Northern California
Address:
Lutheran Social Services Sacramento
4390 47th Ave,
Sacramento, CA 95824
Phone: 916 453 2900
Their website is here – https://www.lssnorcal.org/
Your local church or faith groups
Churches near you, and the communities they have built up around them, will be a source of lots of information.
Local churches very often run the following types of programs –
- food banks
- clothes loan closets
- medical equipment loan closets
You will need to make a few phone calls, and get asking questions about any free resources for equipment.
Where to get cheap medical equipment in Sacramento ?
Financially speaking, if you can’t find any free home medical equipment, the next best option may be to buy some gently used equipment.
You must remember to check the safety of any equipment before you buy.
In most cases, refurbishing centers will run safety checks on used home medical equipment, fixing any defaults, and sanitize it.
But a thrift shop probably won’t do anything at all, typically they will sell the items “as-is”.
Always ask if whether any items you are buying have been sanitized, and checked for safety if you buy from a thrift store, and if you are accepting them “as-is”
Cheap used medical equipment at Goodwill Stores in the Sacramento
Goodwill stores don’t all sell home medical equipment, so if you find one near you, I’d give them a call to find out if they have any.
The stores sell all of its items “as is”, and will not accept any liability for breaks, or the consequences of breakages.
Goodwill stores don’t do any work on the used items before they are put on sale, or any sanitizing, they just don’t accept items which are in a poor condition.
So inspect what you are buying closely.
Goodwill stores in Sacramento
The Goodwill organization which serves the Sacramento area is Goodwill Sacramento Valley and Northern Nevada.
Goodwill has around 20 stores in Sacramento
To locate a store near you in San Francisco, use their locator tool here.
Cheaper used medical equipment in Sacramento
at Salvation Army stores
Salvation Army stores do not all sell used home medical equipment, so if there is one in your area, give them a call to check that they do.
There is no repair, or cleaning, of the items that The Salvation Army stores accept for sale. Do examine closely anything that you buy from them.
The store locator tool is here – https://satruck.org/ThriftStore
Cheap used medical equipment in thrift stores in Sacramento
Buying from thrift stores you need to remember to check the equipment for any cracks, faulty joints etc., as you won’t have any recourse if anything goes wrong – you are buying the used equipment “as is”.
You can find my article on buying used medical equipment here – The Ultimate Guide To Used Medical Equipment In California
Deseret Industries Thrift Store
You can find all types of gently used medical equipment.
Address:
3000 Auburn Blvd, Suite B
Sacramento, CA 95821
Phone: 916 482 1480
Website: https://www.1usedmedicalequipment.com/
____________
Upscale Thrift
The gently used medical equipment counts items such as –
- canes
- walkers
- wheelchairs
Address:
2590 21st St
Sacramento, CA 95818
Phone: 916 272 2820
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/UpscaleThrift2590/
In conclusion
There are many options here, and hopefully you will find something that will help you out.
I’m Gareth, the author and owner of Looking After Mom and Dad.com
I have been a caregiver for over 10 yrs and share all my tips here.
