What Is Durable Medical Equipment?

Durable medical equipment (DME) is an essential part of the recovery process. Whether they’ve recently undergone surgery or are transitioning to a new stage of their life, DME can help patients perform the motions necessary to advance through a range of healthcare challenges.

DME includes a range of reusable, long-lasting pieces of medical equipment. To qualify to receive DME, patients need to receive a prescription from their physician. Typically, insurance companies pay for patients to receive DME; however, not all DME claims qualify. Confusion over whether or not a specific piece of DME is covered by insurance can result in financial hardship and damages for patients. Learning about the insurance and financial regulations surrounding durable medical equipment in Lubbock, TX can help you provide your patients with the best possible healthcare outcomes.

To qualify as DME, a piece of medical equipment needs to be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the use it’s being prescribed to serve. Additionally, the DME needs to be durable enough for repeated use, and it needs to serve a medical purpose. The DME needs to be useful for recovering from a specific illness or condition, and shouldn’t be useful to people not suffering from a health condition. DME also needs to be appropriate for use in the home, and shouldn’t require professional assistance.

DME encompasses a wide range of medical supplies, including:

• Mobility devices: Wheelchairs, walkers, crutches, electric mobility devices and lifts are all considered DME if they’re medically necessary. For mobility devices to qualify as covered DME, they need to be necessary for the navigation and completion of daily tasks, like eating, bathing and getting around the house.
• Insulin pumps: For patients suffering from diabetes, insulin pumps are considered a covered form of DME. Insulin pumps may be issued on a short-term or long-term basis, depending on the severity of a patient’s diabetic status.
• Breast pumps: Patients who recently gave birth may qualify for a breast pump, depending on their circumstances and their insurance coverage. Before prescribing a breast pump as DME, it’s often advisable to consult with the patient’s health insurance provider.
• Oxygen machines: Oxygen machines are necessary for a variety of reasons. Take-home oxygen machines and ventilators qualify as DME when they’re deemed medically necessary by a physician.
• Kidney machines: At-home kidney machines may be medically necessary for patients suffering from kidney failure. These machines are often challenging to use, and should be prescribed by qualified medical professionals with caution. Kidney machines are often best suited for use in a clinical setting.

Stat Biomedical Inc. serves hospitals, healthcare clinics and more by providing durable medical equipment in Lubbock, TX. We’re proud to provide each of our clients with high-quality medical gear at affordable rates. We provide our clients with dependable, reliable pieces of DME as well as first-rate customer service experiences. We hold licenses for both salvage and distribution from the Texas Department of Health. To learn more about our equipment sales, contact one of our friendly representatives today.

Categorised in: Durable Medical Equipment

This post was written by Writer