Medicare Benefits Part 2 - Doctors and Durable Home Medical Equipment
Medicare provides a great service for millions of people in the United States each year.
It is a heath insurance program that was originally developed in the 1960's, but since has grown and changed to provide even more services for United States citizens who are over 65 or are disabled.
If you are under 65 you qualify for Medicare if you are disabled, need dialysis because of a permanent kidney failure, need a kidney transplant, or suffer from ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) and have been on Social Security or Railroad Retirement for at least 2 years.
There are many health care benefits associated with Medicare.
These benefits are funded in large part by taxes on workers.
In 2007 43 million Americans utilized Medicare to pay for some or all of their health care.
The benefits are divided into 4 different categories that encompass several different areas of care and medical equipment.
The first category was covered in part 1 of this series, so be sure to check that article out if you have not already.
The second category of Medicare is called Part B.
This is geared towards providing payment for medical services that are not covered in Part A.
This typically refers to outpatient visits to doctors and other services provided by certified medical practitioners.
This includes things like x-rays, vaccinations, laboratory work, chemotherapy, and other things that can typically be administered in a physician's office.
These services are only covered if they are obtained during a visit to a licensed physician's office.
In some cases this also covers ambulance and transportation services, but this is on a very limited basis.
One of the biggest parts of Part B benefits involves durable medical equipment.
Durable medical equipment is defined as any type of medical equipment that is designed to be reusable.
This includes things like hospital beds, walkers, and wheelchairs.
In order for these types of devices to be covered, they must be medically necessary.
This means that a doctor or other certified medical practitioner must specifically prescribe these types of devices for use in your home.
Long-term care facilities can qualify as your home, but Medicare covered care in hospitals or short-term rehabilitation does not constitute home use.
In addition to a prescription, it is often necessary to have the physician or certified medical practitioner to fill out a special form called a Certificate of Medical Necessity.
There are many different types of home medical equipment that can be covered by Medicare.
Mobility Scooters and power wheelchairs are one of the more common requests from patients who are mobility challenged.
In order for these devices to be covered, it is necessary for your doctors to state a specific need for these devices.
Medicare will only cover them if they are needed for use inside the home.
If you only need it when outside of the home, it will likely not be covered.
Lift chairs are another type of home medical equipment that is needed for many different people.
Lift chairs are in part covered by Medicare.
The lift chair must be prescribed by a doctor for use in the home.
In order for it to be covered, the lift chair must be sufficient to allow the individual to stand freely without assistance.
Medicare will only cover the actual lifting mechanism of lift chairs, and not the chair itself.
This coverage is capped at about $300.
Medicare also covers a host of other durable home medical equipment such as crutches, toilet lifts, hospital beds, various lifts, walkers, ventilators, traction equipment, and oxygen equipment and supplies.
Typically Medicare will cover 80% of these costs and the user is responsible for the remaining 20%.
In some cases Medicare will also cover a portion of the repair costs for these types of items.
For more information on what is covered by Medicare visit their Medicare Coverage Site.
It is a heath insurance program that was originally developed in the 1960's, but since has grown and changed to provide even more services for United States citizens who are over 65 or are disabled.
If you are under 65 you qualify for Medicare if you are disabled, need dialysis because of a permanent kidney failure, need a kidney transplant, or suffer from ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) and have been on Social Security or Railroad Retirement for at least 2 years.
There are many health care benefits associated with Medicare.
These benefits are funded in large part by taxes on workers.
In 2007 43 million Americans utilized Medicare to pay for some or all of their health care.
The benefits are divided into 4 different categories that encompass several different areas of care and medical equipment.
The first category was covered in part 1 of this series, so be sure to check that article out if you have not already.
The second category of Medicare is called Part B.
This is geared towards providing payment for medical services that are not covered in Part A.
This typically refers to outpatient visits to doctors and other services provided by certified medical practitioners.
This includes things like x-rays, vaccinations, laboratory work, chemotherapy, and other things that can typically be administered in a physician's office.
These services are only covered if they are obtained during a visit to a licensed physician's office.
In some cases this also covers ambulance and transportation services, but this is on a very limited basis.
One of the biggest parts of Part B benefits involves durable medical equipment.
Durable medical equipment is defined as any type of medical equipment that is designed to be reusable.
This includes things like hospital beds, walkers, and wheelchairs.
In order for these types of devices to be covered, they must be medically necessary.
This means that a doctor or other certified medical practitioner must specifically prescribe these types of devices for use in your home.
Long-term care facilities can qualify as your home, but Medicare covered care in hospitals or short-term rehabilitation does not constitute home use.
In addition to a prescription, it is often necessary to have the physician or certified medical practitioner to fill out a special form called a Certificate of Medical Necessity.
There are many different types of home medical equipment that can be covered by Medicare.
Mobility Scooters and power wheelchairs are one of the more common requests from patients who are mobility challenged.
In order for these devices to be covered, it is necessary for your doctors to state a specific need for these devices.
Medicare will only cover them if they are needed for use inside the home.
If you only need it when outside of the home, it will likely not be covered.
Lift chairs are another type of home medical equipment that is needed for many different people.
Lift chairs are in part covered by Medicare.
The lift chair must be prescribed by a doctor for use in the home.
In order for it to be covered, the lift chair must be sufficient to allow the individual to stand freely without assistance.
Medicare will only cover the actual lifting mechanism of lift chairs, and not the chair itself.
This coverage is capped at about $300.
Medicare also covers a host of other durable home medical equipment such as crutches, toilet lifts, hospital beds, various lifts, walkers, ventilators, traction equipment, and oxygen equipment and supplies.
Typically Medicare will cover 80% of these costs and the user is responsible for the remaining 20%.
In some cases Medicare will also cover a portion of the repair costs for these types of items.
For more information on what is covered by Medicare visit their Medicare Coverage Site.
