Durable Medical Equipment (DME) and Incontinence supplies
- Durable (can withstand repeated use)
- Used for a medical reason
- Not usually useful to someone who isn’t sick or injured
- Used in your home
- Has an expected lifetime of at least 3 years
Medicare and DME guidelines are something you need to learn if you want to have your home health care equipment covered by your insurance.
While Medicare is helping many people afford the high cost of health equipment and other medical needs, when it comes to durable medical equipment, they do not cover all the equipment you might require. To make sure that your home health care equipment is covered, it helps to know some of the rules Medicare and DME follow.
The ``Rules`` of Medicare
Durable medical equipment items that are not able to be reused are generally not covered by Medicare. For example, things like surgical leggings cannot be used again for another condition, so they are not covered. It can help to talk to a Medicare representative directly to find out more about what is covered and what is not. The Medicare website is helpful in this respect, giving a full list of what’s covered and what’s not. Some exceptions can be made for certain durable medical equipment items, but it can be a lengthy process to get reimbursed.
For more information on your eligibility or your coverage, visit the Medicare website: https://www.medicare.gov/what-medicare-covers/part-b/durable-medical-equipment.html