How often is it
covered?
Medicare Part B (Medical
Insurance) covers patient lifts as durable
medical equipment (DME) that your doctor prescribes for use in your home.
Who's eligible?
All people with Part B are
covered.
Your costs in Original
Medicare
If your supplier accepts
assignment, you 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 the type of equipment:
•
You may need
to rent the equipment.
•
You may need to buy the
equipment.
•
You may be able
to choose whether to rent or buy the equipment.
Medicare will only cover
your DME if your doctors and DME suppliers are enrolled in Medicare. Doctors
and suppliers have to meet strict standards to enroll and stay enrolled in
Medicare. If your doctors or suppliers aren’t enrolled, Medicare won’t pay the
claims submitted by them.
It’s also important to ask
your suppliers if they participate in Medicare before you get DME. If suppliers
are participating suppliers, they must accept assignment. If suppliers are
enrolled in Medicare but aren’t “participating,” they may choose not to accept
assignment. If suppliers don't accept assignment, there’s no limit on the
amount they can charge you.
Competitive Bidding
Program
If you live in or visit
certain areas, you may be affected by Medicare's
Competitive Bidding Program. In most cases, Medicare will
only help pay for these equipment and supplies if they're provided by contract
suppliers when both of these apply:
•
You have
Original Medicare.
Contract suppliers can't
charge you more than the 20% coinsurance and any unmet yearly deductible for
any equipment or supplies included in the Competitive Bidding Program.
Note
To find out
how much your specific test, item, or service will cost, talk to your doctor or
other health care provider. The specific amount you’ll owe may depend on
several things, like:
•
Other
insurance you may have
•
How much your
doctor charges
•
Whether your
doctor accepts assignment
•
The type of
facility
•
The location
where you get your test, item, or service
This
information originally appeared here:
