If you or a parent in Montana needs grab bars, a ramp, a walk-in shower or a stair lift to stay safely at home, there are 31 programs below that may help pay for it: 5 in aging and disability, 4 in healthcare/insurance, 6 in housing and community development, 10 in lending, 4 in social and vocational, 2 in tax sources.
Most people qualify for at least one, but each program has its own rules: age, income, disability, veteran status, or whether you own or rent. Start with the three calls below. They are free, they know the local programs, and several can send someone to look at the home.
Veterans in Montana should also ask the VA about housing grants, which can pay far more than local programs; see our VA grants guide.
Local aging and disability offices are usually the best first call. Many can send someone to look at the home, and some pay for small changes directly.
Older Americans Act Title III-B and Title III-E (Area Agencies on Aging)
Your local Area Agency on Aging may pay for a home safety check or small fixes like grab bars. Find yours through the Eldercare Locator at www.eldercare.gov or (800) 677-1116.
Visit website (800) 677-1116 Our guide: Area Agencies on Aging: Home Repair and Modification Help
Assistive Technology (AT Act)
Your state's Assistive Technology program lets you test and borrow equipment, get used items cheaply, and in some states take out low-cost loans.
Visit website Our guide: State Assistive Technology Programs: Try, Borrow, Reuse and Finance Equipment
Centers for Independent Living
Centers for Independent Living are disability-led nonprofits that help with advocacy, housing, assistive technology and finding money for home changes.
Visit website Our guide: Centers for Independent Living: Disability-Led Help to Stay Home
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs housing grants
HISA details are at http://www.prosthetics.va.gov/psas/HISA2.asp; SAH staff can be reached at (877) 827-3702.
Visit website 1-800-827-1000 Our guide: VA Home Modification Grants (SAH, SHA, TRA and HISA)
Vocational Rehabilitation (Rehabilitation Services Administration)
If a disability makes it hard to get or keep a job, your state VR agency may pay for home changes tied to your work goal, at any age.
Visit website Our guide: Vocational Rehabilitation: Home Modifications for Working Adults with Disabilities
Health programs can pay for changes when they are tied to a medical need. Medicaid waivers are the biggest source here; Medicare rarely pays for home changes.
Medicare / private insurance
Original Medicare pays for medical equipment, not home remodeling, but some Medicare Advantage plans offer safety items or modifications as extra benefits.
Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Waivers
Montana Medicaid runs waiver programs that can pay for home changes like ramps or bathroom updates so a person can stay out of a nursing home. They are for people with low income who are older or who have long-term health conditions. Ask the state Medicaid office which waiver fits.
Visit website Our guide: Medicaid Waivers That Pay for Home Modifications
Money Follows the Person (Medicaid)
This Medicaid program helps people move from a nursing home back to a home in the community. Help can include getting the new home ready, and services differ by state.
Visit website Our guide: Medicaid Waivers That Pay for Home Modifications
Social Security Administration
People on SSI or SSDI who work may be able to set aside money or count work-related costs, including some home changes, without losing as much of their benefit. TTY 1-800-325-0778.
Housing programs fix homes for people with lower incomes. Many run through your city, county or a local nonprofit.
HUD Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)
Many cities and counties use CDBG money for home repair programs; ask your local housing or community development office.
Visit website Our guide: CDBG Home Repair and Accessibility Programs (Community Development Block Grants)
HUD HOME Investment Partnerships Program
Search the HUD Exchange grantee list by state to see which local governments offer HOME-funded repair help.
Visit website Our guide: HUD HOME Program: Homeowner Rehabilitation and Accessibility Help
NeighborWorks America network
Local nonprofit housing groups, such as NeighborWorks members, may give repair advice, low-cost loans or small grants. Search your city name plus "Neighborhood Housing Services" or use the NeighborWorks directory.
Visit website Our guide: Nonprofit Home Repair Programs for Older Adults (Rebuilding Together, Habitat and More)
State Housing Finance Agencies (HFAs)
The state housing finance agency may offer low-interest or deferred loans for home repairs, and it funds housing for older adults and people with disabilities. Check its site for current repair or accessibility programs.
Visit website Our guide: State Housing Finance Agency Repair and Accessibility Programs
USDA Section 504 Home Repair loans and grants (and Section 533 Housing Preservation Grants)
Montana has USDA Rural Development offices in Bozeman, Helena, Billings, Great Falls, Kalispell and Missoula.
Visit website Our guide: USDA Section 504 Home Repair Loans and Grants
DOE Weatherization Assistance Program
In Montana this program is run through the Department of Public Health and Human Services energy assistance office.
Visit website Our guide: Weatherization Assistance Program: Free Energy and Safety Upgrades
Loans spread the cost over time. Some are low-interest or forgivable for older and lower-income homeowners.
FHA loan insurance (HUD)
Find a lender that offers Title I or 203(k) loans at https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/housing/sfh/lender/lenderlist.
Visit website Our guide: FHA 203(k) Loans for Accessibility Renovations
Other state or local program
A homeowner can borrow against the home's value as needed to pay for changes. The loan must be paid back with interest, and the home is the collateral. Ask a local bank or credit union.
Other state or local program
This is a second loan on the home, paid back on top of the first mortgage. It can cover a larger project in one lump sum. Ask a local bank.
Other state or local program
A personal loan can pay for smaller jobs and does not put a lien on the home, so renters can use it too. Approval depends on income, debt and credit.
Other state or local program
Replacing the current mortgage with a new, larger one can free up cash for home changes if the home has enough equity. Ask a local lender.
Other state or local program
Some contractors donate part of a job, their labor or materials, often as community giving. Ask your remodeler if they do this.
Other state or local program
Many contractors work with finance companies and can set up a loan for the project. It can be quick, but compare the rate with a bank.
HUD Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM)
Talk with a HUD-approved counselor first; see also http://www.reversemortgage.org and https://www.ncoa.org/economic-security/home-equity/reverse-mortgages/reverse-mortgage-counseling/.
Visit website Our guide: Using a Reverse Mortgage (HECM) to Pay for Home Modifications
Other state or local program
A bank may lend against a certificate of deposit (CD) you hold there, usually up to part of its value. This can work for smaller projects. Ask your bank.
Other state or local program
Some investment firms let you borrow against the stocks or funds in your account. The money can sometimes go to home projects, but the loan carries market risk. Ask your bank or broker.
Disability, job and community groups can sometimes pay for changes that help a person live or work independently.
Nonprofit repair program
Churches, service clubs, scout troops and builder groups sometimes build ramps or raise money for home changes. Call 211 to find groups near you.
Our guide: Nonprofit Home Repair Programs for Older Adults (Rebuilding Together, Habitat and More)
Crime Victims' Benefits (U.S. Department of Justice)
If a crime left someone hurt or disabled, the state victim compensation program may help pay for home access changes. It pays only what insurance or the offender does not.
Social Services Block Grant (HHS)
States use this block grant for local social services, which can include basic changes like a ramp or grab bars. It mostly helps households already on public assistance; ask your local social services office.
Workers' Compensation
If a job injury makes daily life at home hard, workers' comp may pay for home changes or help with a more suitable home. File through the employer's insurance claim.
Some home changes can lower your taxes. Keep receipts and a doctor's note when the change is for a medical need.
IRS (U.S. Department of the Treasury)
Many accessibility changes can count as deductible medical expenses if you itemize, under the IRS rules in Publication 502.
Visit website Our guide: Deducting Home Modifications as a Medical Expense (IRS Publication 502)
State tax credit or deduction
Some states or counties waive sales tax on ramp materials or lift equipment, or keep accessibility work from raising property taxes. Check with the Montana revenue department and your county tax office.
Our guide: State Tax Credits and Property Tax Breaks for Home Accessibility
| Change | Typical national cost | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Grab bars (installed) | $200 to $350 | each |
| Tub-to-shower / walk-in shower conversion | $2,000 to $12,000 | installed |
| Curbless roll-in shower | $2,900 to $15,000 | installed |
| Walk-in tub | $4,000 to $10,000 | installed |
| Comfort-height toilet / raised toilet seat | $375 to $800 | installed |
| Stair lift (straight) | $2,000 to $9,000 | installed |
Yes. This page lists 31 programs in Montana that can help pay for home changes such as grab bars, ramps and walk-in showers. Most are run through your local Area Agency on Aging, Medicaid, housing programs, or nonprofits, and each has its own eligibility rules.
Call your local Area Agency on Aging. It is free, it knows the programs in your county, and it can often arrange a home assessment. You can find yours through the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116 or eldercare.acl.gov.
Original Medicare generally does not pay for home modifications like grab bars, ramps or shower conversions. Some Medicare Advantage plans offer limited supplemental benefits for safety items, so check your plan. Medicaid waivers are more likely to help if you qualify.
Yes. Several programs on this page serve renters, but you will usually need the landlord's written permission before any change is made. Look for the 'Renters' tag on each program.
It varies a lot. Small items like grab bars can happen in weeks; larger grants and Medicaid waivers can have waitlists of months. Apply to more than one program at once, and ask each about current wait times.