Metroplex Medicare Providers Must Use Contracted Equipment Suppliers or Lose Reimbursement

Physicians in the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington area who prescribe Medicare-covered durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics and supplies to their patients will have to use certain contracted suppliers starting July 1, 2008. Physicians and patients will be responsible for determining which suppliers are Medicare-contract suppliers to make sure their medical products and services will be covered by Medicare.

The 10 product categories affected in Texas are:

-Oxygen supplies and equipment;
-Standard power wheelchairs, scooters and related accessories;
-Complex rehabilitative power wheelchairs and related accessories;
-Mail-order diabetic supplies;
-Enteral nutrients, equipment and supplies;
-Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) devices and Respiratory Assist Devices (RADs) and related supplies;
-Hospital beds and related accessories;
-Negative-pressure wound-therapy pumps and related supplies and accessories; and
-Walkers and related accessories.

To find out if a supplier is included in the program, use the search tool on www.medicare,gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE.

Physicians in other communities outside of the Metroplex should also take heed: the program will expand to 70 additional areas in 2009 with further expansions in the future.

Also, read the CMS-published PDF, “What You Should Know if You Need Medicare-covered Equipment or Supplies,” but skip to the second half of the second page for the most-pertinent information.