Medicare Part B covers medically necessary durable medical equipment (DME) if your doctor prescribes it for use in your home.
DME that Medicare covers includes, but isn’t limited to:
- Blood sugar monitors
- Blood sugar test strips
- Canes
- Commode chairs
- Crutches
- Hospital beds
- Infusion pumps & supplies
- Nebulizers & nebulizer medications
- Oxygen equipment & accessories
- Patient lifts
- Walkers
- Wheelchairs & scooters
Only your doctor can prescribe durable medical equipment that meets these criteria:
- 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
- Generally has an expected lifetime of at least three years.
If your DME supplier accepts Medicare assignment, you will pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount, and the Part B deductible applies. Medicare pays for different kinds of DME in different ways, depending on if you need to rent or buy the equipment. If your DME doctors or suppliers aren’t enrolled in Medicare, Medicare won’t pay the claims submitted by them, so it’s essential to ask your suppliers if they participate in Medicare before you get DME
If you are enrolled in a Medicare Supplement or Medicare Advantage, your deductible, copay, or coinsurance may be different or less depending on the plan you have chosen. Medicare Advantage plans may also offer additional DME services. Please check your Medicare Advantage Summary of Benefits to see if your plan provides any supplemental benefits.
