Musselshell County stretches across about 1,868 square miles of south-central Montana, from rolling grasslands in the northwest down toward the Musselshell River and the forested Bull Mountains. Most people live in or around Roundup and Klein, and the whole county is rural, so the house you grew up in may be miles from the nearest neighbor.
Many homes here are long-held single-family properties with their original stairs and no built-in accessibility features. That is where a stair lift can make the difference between staying put and moving away. This page walks through how local homes and terrain shape the right lift, and where to turn for help paying for one.
Housing in the county runs from single-family homes and ranch-style homes to split-level homes and walk-up apartments. A single straight flight, common in older two-story houses, usually takes a straight stair lift, which is the simplest and quickest to fit.
Split-level homes are different. They often have short flights that turn or stop at a landing, and a lift that has to follow a turn needs a curved rail built to that staircase. We measure each step before recommending anything.
Ranch-style homes may have few steps inside but still have a climb at the porch or entry. For those, an outdoor lift or a platform lift can be the better answer, especially for someone who uses a wheelchair.
Out here, the hardest stairs are often outside: porch steps, a back door to the yard, or the climb from a detached garage. Outdoor stair lifts are built for exposure to the weather, and a platform lift can carry a wheelchair up to an entry level.
The county is served mainly by U.S. Highways 12 and 87, and contractors and equipment installers often travel from Billings or other regional hubs. Plan ahead for the measuring visit and the install, and ask about scheduling when you call so both trips can be lined up.
About 26.0% of residents are 65 or older, and the median age is 51.3 years. About 76.1% of residents are homeowners, so most families are deciding about a house they own rather than asking a landlord.
If that includes your parent or you, the veterans programs below are worth a call, though they have firm rules about what they pay for.
No program on this page names stair lifts as a guaranteed covered item, so the honest path is to call and ask about your specific situation. The best first call is the Area II Agency on Aging ADRC in Roundup at (406) 323-1320, which is also the door into Big Sky Waiver case management.
The Musselshell County Council on Aging at (406) 323-2015 does not list home modification help, but it is a good place to ask for referrals. In Billings, the Adult Resource Alliance of Yellowstone County can be reached at (406) 259-5212, and the Billings Veteran Service Office at (406) 248-8579.
Statewide options to ask about include the Montana Assistive Technology Loan (MATL), the Reverse Annuity Mortgage (RAM), Community First Choice Services (CFCS), and the Property Tax Assistance Program (PTAP) & Elderly Homeowner/Renter Credit. The local and federal programs are listed one by one below.
This Medicaid waiver pays for physical home modifications for people who meet nursing-facility level of care and Medicaid limits, and work over $5,000 needs prior authorization and two contractor bids. Stair lifts are not named in the policy, so coverage is case by case; apply through the Area II ADRC in Roundup at (406) 323-1320.
This part of the waiver covers devices that help with daily living, with prior authorization over $2,500 and two bids over $5,000, and it pays only after other insurance. Stair lifts are not named, so a case manager has to confirm a request; call (406) 323-1320.
The Roundup office offers information, referral and long-term care options counseling for people 60 or older, adults with disabilities and their caregivers, and it does not fund modifications directly. It is the local entry point for Big Sky Waiver enrollment at (406) 323-1320.
County senior services offer meals, medical transportation to Roundup and Billings, and volunteers for yard work and snow removal; no stair lift or home modification help is listed. Call (406) 323-2015 for referrals.
Very-low-income rural homeowners can get repair loans up to $40,000 at 1% interest, and homeowners 62+ who cannot repay a loan can get grants up to $10,000 lifetime. Stair lifts are not named, but grants can fund accessibility work to remove health and safety hazards, judged case by case by the local RD field office.
HISA pays up to $6,800 or $2,000 lifetime for structural changes like ramps, roll-in showers and wider doorways. It does not cover stair lifts, because the VA treats stair glides as removable equipment.
Veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities can receive up to $126,526 (SAH) or $25,350 (SHA) for large-scale adaptations to a home they own or will own. The VA page does not name stair lifts as a covered item.
This program funds home rehabilitation, including ADA improvements, for homeowners below 80% of area median income through local governments, though stair lifts are not named. It is currently paused because housing funds have been allocated; call (406) 841-2700 to check status.
LIFTT serves people with disabilities in Musselshell County with information, referral, advocacy, peer support and housing navigation, and it does not list stair lifts or home modifications. Call (406) 259-5181 to ask about current referral options.
This Missoula-based nonprofit serves income-eligible households at no cost, and a University of Montana directory lists installing stair lifts among its services. Its service area for Musselshell County is not confirmed, so check with the organization directly.
Older adults
1505 Avenue D, Billings, 59102
Veterans
1500 University Dr. College of Education Bldg. Room 114, Billings, 59101
Possibly, through the Big Sky Waiver, but stair lifts are not named in the policy and approval depends on medical need in your service plan. The waiver is not an entitlement and has waitlists. Start with the Area II ADRC in Roundup at (406) 323-1320.
The HISA grant explicitly excludes stair glides as removable equipment. SAH and SHA grants do not name stair lifts either. The Billings Veteran Service Office at (406) 248-8579 can help you look at the options.
Yes, the Area II ADRC serves adults with disabilities as well as people 60 or older. LIFTT also serves people with disabilities in Musselshell County and can be reached at (406) 259-5181.
The USDA Section 504 program offers grants up to $10,000 lifetime for very-low-income homeowners 62+ who cannot repay a loan. Stair lifts are not named, but accessibility work can qualify case by case through the local RD field office.
Yes, but expect some planning. Installers often travel from Billings or other regional hubs along U.S. Highways 12 and 87, so ask about scheduling the measuring visit and install when you call.
The Area II ADRC in Roundup at (406) 323-1320 handles options counseling and Big Sky Waiver enrollment. The Musselshell County Council on Aging at (406) 323-2015 is another good first call for referrals.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
