How Do I Get Durable Medical Equipment for My Medicare Plan?
If your doctor says you need durable medical equipment, or DME, here’s what you need to know about how to buy or rent it.
If you’re managing a health condition or recovering from an operation, you might need DME. Durable medical equipment includes things like wheelchairs, oxygen machines, walkers and hospital beds.
Your doctor will write a prescription for the items you need.
All Medicare Advantage plans cover basic equipment for you to use at home. If you need something more advanced, your plan may still cover it if your doctor says it’s medically necessary.
Usually, you’ll only be responsible for paying coinsurance for your DME. Each plan covers durable medical equipment a little differently.
You can learn more about what your plan covers by logging in to your online member account.
Medicare Part B typically covers 80% of the approved cost. Your Medicare supplement plan may cover the remaining 20% coinsurance as well as any applicable deductibles.
To ensure your DME is covered, your primary care doctor must prescribe it, it needs to be medically necessary and you have to purchase it from an authorized seller. Additionally, DME has to meet the following criteria:
Go to medicare.gov to find a provider.
Northwood Inc. fills prescriptions for durable medical equipment for all Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network individual Medicare Advantage plans. This includes prescriptions for diabetic supplies, prosthetics, orthotics and all other durable medical equipment.
To find a provider near you:
Call 1-800-667-8496
TTY users call 711
8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET
Monday through Friday
If you have a Medicare Plus BlueSM PPO plan, you can get your diabetes monitoring supplies through any supplier.
If you have a Medicare supplement plan, you can get your supplies from any supplier who accepts Medicare. If they participate, they can only charge you the coinsurance and Part B deductible for the Medicare-approved amount. Otherwise, the supplier has no limit on the amount they can charge you.
You can also use Find a Doctor to locate DME providers near you, or call the Customer Service number on the back of your member ID card.
Important information about Medicare supplement plans
This is a solicitation of insurance. We may contact you about buying insurance. Blue Cross Medicare SupplementSM plans aren't connected with or endorsed by the U.S. government or the federal Medicare program.