Short answer: If getting out of the chair on your own is the problem, buy a lift chair. It tilts forward and pushes you up onto your feet. If sitting comfortably is the problem and you can already stand up fine, a power recliner does everything else for less money. A power recliner is not a lift chair, and no amount of motor makes it one.
What each one actually does
A power recliner has a motor that opens the footrest and lays the back down. Some add a second motor for the headrest or lumbar. The seat stays where it is. You get in and out of it the same way you get out of any chair.
A lift chair does all of that and one more thing: the whole seat tilts forward and rises, so the chair delivers you to a standing position instead of you pushing yourself up. That single function is why it exists, why it costs more, and why it is the only one of the two that Medicare will pay anything toward.
Side by side
| Lift chair | Power recliner | |
|---|---|---|
| Helps you stand up | Yes, this is the point | No |
| Power footrest and back | Yes | Yes |
| Positions | Two-position, three-position, or infinite with a second motor | Recline range, sometimes a power headrest |
| Typical price new | Highest of the two | Noticeably less |
| Any insurance help | Part B may cover the lift mechanism only | None |
| Needs a wall outlet | Yes | Yes |
| Works in a power outage | Only with a battery backup | Only with a battery backup |
| Space behind it | 12 to 15 in unless wall-hugger | 12 to 15 in unless wall-hugger |
What Medicare does and does not pay for
This confuses almost everyone, so here it is plainly. Medicare treats the chair and the lifting device as two separate items. Part B may cover the seat lift mechanism as durable medical equipment when a doctor prescribes it as medically necessary. It does not cover the furniture. After your Part B deductible you pay 20 percent of the Medicare-approved amount for the mechanism, and 100 percent of the chair itself. The equipment also has to come from a Medicare-enrolled DME supplier.
We are a furniture store, not a DME supplier, so nothing you buy from us gets reimbursed. We would rather say that up front. If the reimbursement is the deciding factor for your family, buy through a medical supplier and ask your doctor to document it. If you are paying out of pocket either way, which is most people we see, a liquidation lift chair or power recliner will cost you a fraction of the medical-supply price for the same machinery. Check with your own plan and your doctor before you count on any coverage.
How to choose
Ask one question: can the person stand up from a normal dining chair without pulling on something? If the answer is no, or barely, get the lift chair. If the answer is yes, a power recliner is the better use of the money and you can put the difference toward a better frame or better leather.
Two things people forget. First, measure the person, not just the room: seat height, seat width and back height decide whether the chair actually helps. A chair too deep for short legs will make standing harder, lift or not. Second, measure the clearance behind the chair, 12 to 15 inches for most models, and check there is an outlet within reach without a cord across a walkway.
What we have right now
- Lift chairs, in stock in our Charlotte warehouse
- Power and manual recliners
- Massage chairs
- Leather and fabric options in both
Bring the person who will be using it if you can. Five minutes of sitting down and standing up tells you more than any spec sheet.
Common questions
Will Medicare buy me a lift chair?
No. At most it helps pay for the lifting mechanism inside one, with a prescription and through an enrolled supplier. The chair portion is yours.
What is the difference between two-position and infinite-position?
Two-position reclines slightly, enough for TV. Three-position lies back near flat. Infinite-position uses two motors so the back and footrest move independently, which is what you want for napping or for elevating the legs above the heart.
Can a lift chair be used as a regular recliner?
Yes. The lift is a function you use when you want it, not something you are stuck in.
Is a lift chair safe on carpet or a rug?
On low pile, yes. On thick pile or a loose rug the base can rock as it lifts, which defeats the purpose. Put it on a hard floor or a rug pad that grips.
Come see it in person
Everything on the site is one piece, in our warehouse, in Charlotte. What you see is what you take home. We do not order it in.
Financing: we run Snap Finance, Koalafi, Acima and Kafene. No perfect credit needed. Most approvals take a few minutes on your phone.
Delivery: same-day delivery up to 150 miles. Buy it this afternoon, sleep on it tonight.
Tony Discount Furniture
6650 E WT Harris Blvd, Unit C, Charlotte, NC 28215
(704) 390-1713
Monday to Saturday 11am to 7pm, Sunday 2pm to 6pm
Se habla espanol.