Rhode Island packs 61 towns into five counties: Bristol, Kent, Newport, Providence and Washington. That means a stair lift job here can look very different from one street to the next, and the staircase in front of you matters more than the town on the mailbox.
This page covers the kinds of stair lifts we install, who in the state tends to need one, and the Rhode Island and federal programs that can help pay. If you are sorting this out for a parent, the program phone numbers below are a good place to start before anyone signs a quote.
A straight stair lift runs on a single rail along a staircase with no turns or landings. It is usually the simplest install and the quickest to schedule.
If the stairs turn, wrap around a landing or change direction, you need a curved lift with a rail built to that exact staircase. We measure on site so the rail follows your steps, not a guess from a photo.
Steps outside, such as from a driveway or porch, call for an outdoor lift made to handle weather. For someone who uses a wheelchair and cannot transfer to a seat, a platform lift carries the chair itself.
About 18.3% of Rhode Islanders are 65 or older. For many of those families, the question is whether a parent can keep using the bedroom or bathroom upstairs or has to move everything to one floor.
Roughly 63.6% of residents own their home, which matters because owners can usually approve a permanent rail install on their own.
Rhode Island has more than one route to help. RI Medicaid can cover stair lift installation through its home and community benefit with prior authorization, and the state Livable Home Modification Grant reimburses 50% of eligible accessibility work, up to $5,000.
OSCIL / ATAP handles assistive technology assessments and device loans and can offer limited last-resort funding case by case. Veterans should look at VA Prosthetics for the lift itself, since the HISA grant pays for ramps and structural changes, not the lift.
Each program has its own rules and paperwork. Call the numbers in the program list before work starts so you know what each one needs from you and from us.
We have separate pages for Bristol County, Kent County, Newport County, Providence County and Washington County. Each one covers that county in more detail.
Start with the county where the house is, especially if you live out of state and are planning for a parent's home.
A Medicaid home and community benefit that can cover stair lift installation with prior authorization, with no fixed cap and the amount set by the approved care plan. Call (401) 462-3000.
A state reimbursement grant that covers stair lifts and pays back 50% of eligible accessibility costs, up to $5,000. Call (401) 462-0103.
An independent-living center program offering assistive technology assessments, device loans and limited last-resort funding decided case by case; stair lift coverage is partial. Call (401) 738-1013.
VA Prosthetics (PSAS) can cover a medically prescribed stair lift with no set dollar cap, while the HISA grant ($6,800 service-connected, $2,000 non-service-connected) covers ramps and structural changes, not the lift. Call (877) 222-8387.
It can. The RI Medicaid home and community benefit lists stair lift installation as covered, but it needs prior authorization and the amount depends on the approved care plan. Call (401) 462-3000 to ask about eligibility.
It is a state reimbursement grant. It pays back 50% of the eligible cost of accessibility work, up to $5,000, and stair lifts are covered. Call (401) 462-0103 for the application steps.
No. HISA covers ramps and structural changes, at up to $6,800 for service-connected and $2,000 for non-service-connected conditions. The stair lift itself goes through VA Prosthetics (PSAS) when it is medically prescribed. Call (877) 222-8387.
OSCIL / ATAP offers assistive technology assessments and device loans, and may help with last-resort funding case by case. Call (401) 738-1013. We also measure your staircase on site before quoting.
Yes. A curved stair lift uses a rail made for your specific staircase, so it follows turns and landings. A straight lift only works on a staircase with no turns.
We have pages for all five counties: Bristol County, Kent County, Newport County, Providence County and Washington County. Open the one for your county to see local details.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
