DME/HME Provider

Home medical equipment is a category of devices used for patients whose care is being managed from a home or other private facility managed by a nonprofessional caregiver or family member. It is often referred to as “durable” medical equipment (DME) as it is intended to withstand repeated use by non-professionals or the patient, and is appropriate for use in the home.

Medical supplies of an expendable nature, such as bandages, rubber gloves and irrigating kits are not considered by Medicare to be DME.

Within the US medical and insurance industries, the following acronyms are used to describe home medical equipment:

• DME: Durable Medical Equipment
• HME: Home Medical Equipment
• DMEPOS: Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics and Supplies

Types of home medical equipment

The following are representative examples of home medical equipment

Obtaining and using home medical equipment

For most home medical equipment to be reimbursed by insurance, a patient must have a doctor’s prescription for the equipment needed. Some equipment, such as oxygen, is FDA regulated and must be prescribed by a physician before purchase whether insurance reimbursed or otherwise.

Once a patient or caregiver selects DR Medical Associates as their HME / DMEPOS supplier, he/she presents us with the prescription and patient’s insurance information. As an HME / DMEPOS we maintain an inventory of products and equipment, so fulfillment of the prescription is rapid.

As an HME / DMEPOS supplier we are obligated to perform certain functions when providing home medical equipment. These include:

• Proper delivery and setup of the equipment
• Ensuring the home environment is suitable and safe for proper usage of the equipment
• Training the patient, family and caregivers on the proper usage and maintenance of the equipment
• Informing the patient and/or caregiver of their rights and responsibilities

Insurance

Home medical equipment is typically covered by patient’s healthcare insurance, including Medicare (Part B). In order to properly code home medical equipment for billing, the Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System HCPCS is utilized. As of 2014, under the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003, providers of HME/DMEPOS will be required to become third-party accredited to standards regulated by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in order to continue eligibility under Medicare Part B. This effort aims to standardize and improve the quality of service to patients provided by home medical equipment suppliers.