When you hear the term “durable medical equipment”, you can think of medical supplies that can withstand a large amount of use or consumables that can be easily moved from place to place without damaging them. Although this type of medical equipment is certainly something that we all should look for when buying medical supplies, this term is in fact one that the government uses to determine the benefits of Medicare.
What do you need for durable medical equipment with Medicare? This is the term Medicare uses to describe medical supplies for which the government program will pay. This includes equipment that is mainly used to serve a kind of medical purpose and that it should be used at home. The word "durable" is used in the phrase, because medical supplies must also be recyclable. Thus, although the quality of the product cannot be considered, medical equipment cannot be consumed if you hope it is paid for by Medicare. What is covered by the term "long-term medical equipment"? A wide variety of items falls under the definition of durable medical equipment. These include, but are not limited to, items such as:
- Hospital beds
- Walkers
- Invalid
- Oxygen Tents
- Iron lungs
- Blood Glucose Monitors
- Seat lifting mechanisms
In fact, everything that is medically necessary and can be used again and again to help a person with his or her illness, disorder or trauma, is covered by an article about durable medical equipment. What does not apply under the clause? Although many items are covered by Medicare, there are many other medical supplies that are not covered. Consumables such as rubber gloves, dressings and irrigation kits, for example, are not considered durable equipment. However, blood tests used by people with diabetes are covered by Medicare. Items that are not considered necessary for treating a disease are also not eligible for Medicare compensation. This usually includes items such as dehumidifiers and air conditioners, because, although these items can make a person more comfortable, they are usually not medically required. However, it is possible that these items were paid for, if the doctor confirmed that they are medical and administrative judges, that the items are necessary for medical purposes.
