II. Definitions
- Durable Medical Equipment (DME)
- Nondisposable, wear-resistant items, prescribed by a medical provider and intended for longterm use by patients
- Examples include hospital beds (at home), Walkers, Wheelchairs, prosthetic limbs, CPAP
III. Background
- Covered under Medicare Part B in U.S.
IV. Approach: DME Prescription Pearls
- When writing for DME items, write a description of item using generic terms
- Specifically describe use and frequency (scheduled dosing)
- Associate a specific diagnosis and ICD10 code for DME Indications
- Maximum quantities (e.g. Glucose Test Strips) vary be circumstance (e.g. Insulin use)
- Face-to-face encounter is typically needed at least every 6 months for many DME items