Service Dogs

• Service dogs have a long history, dating to World War I, when dogs were trained to guide blind war veterans. Today, service dogs are trained to assist in a variety of areas; these dogs include Alzheimer's helper dogs, diabetes response dogs, hearing dogs, Parkinson's disease helper dogs, psychiatric service dogs and skilled assistance dogs.
  
  

Medicare

• Medicare Parts A and B are referred to as "traditional Medicare." Medicare Part A covers inpatient services, some short-term home health care and hospice care; Medicare Part B covers outpatient services, durable medical equipment and ambulance services.
  
  

Cost

• Cost is a deciding factor when getting a service dog. The cost to train a service dog ranges from $10,000 to $12,000--a cost that Medicare does not cover. A Medicare recipient must pay out of pocket for the dog or rely on private and charitable foundations to help cover the cost.