What is DME equipment used for?

Durable medical equipment (DME) is equipment that makes everyday tasks easier. It offers a range of products including walkers, wheelchairs, and oxygen tanks. Medicare often covers the EMR if you meet the following criteria:

• Durable, i.e. able to withstand repeated use

• Provides medicinal benefit.

• Although it is suitable for use at home, it can also be used on the go.

• And it should last at least three years.

For Part B coverage, your primary care physician (PCP) must recommend the EMR. Part A covers the EMR if you are hospitalized or reside in a skilled nursing facility (SNF).

Whether you have an Original Medicare plan or a Medicare Advantage plan, Medicare should cover the same types of medical equipment. Examples of EMRs consist of:

• Wheelchair

• Walkers

• patient beds

• electric scooters

• Transportable oxygen equipment

Medicare Part B also covers the following durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies (DMEPOS):

• Internal prostheses that replace all or part of an organ

• The use of prosthetic devices, such as artificial legs, arms, and eyes.

• Orthopedic braces, such as rigid or semi-rigid braces for the legs, arms, back, and neck

Specific medical equipment

Medicare also covers prescription drugs and supplies used in conjunction with the EMR, even if they are single-use or disposable. It covers drugs used with nebulizers, for example. Medicare also covers lancets and test strips used with diabetes self-test kits.

Significance for clinical practice

Many physiological, physical, and mental benefits are associated with the use of the EMR. For example, DME allows people to become more independent and reduces their need for caregivers. With the possibility of increasing their autonomy, people with disabilities are better able to improve their psychological health and their social participation. Before recommending and purchasing specific equipment, there are a number of variables to consider, although there are a number of supposed benefits of using EMR.

When establishing a patient's need for OMDs, the patient's diagnosis, functional impairments, and precautions should be considered to select the most appropriate equipment. It must be determined whether the goal of durable medical equipment is to increase independence through self-care and mobility or to reduce caregiver strain and improve safety. The specific aspirations of the patient, the family environment, and the financial cost must also be taken into account.

Cognitive issues, such as impaired memory, impaired judgment, lack of safety awareness, or lack of disability awareness, present challenges for medical personnel when training clients to integrate the EMR into their daily activities. For people with dementia, teaching a family member or caregiver can ensure proper use, improve safety, and increase compliance. Individual cultural and social biases can influence the impression of DME, positively or negatively, and should be considered as an additional element.

DME can provide assistance with three main rehabilitation activities to promote independence and safety. These include activities of daily living (ADL), mobility, and transfers. ADLs include eating, grooming, bathing, dressing the upper limbs, dressing the lower limbs, and bathroom use. Occupational therapists play a crucial role in assessing a patient's ability to perform ADL tasks, such as checking the patient's safety during transfers to the toilet, tub, or shower.

Patients who find it difficult to get up from a seated position, especially on low surfaces. You may benefit from using a 3-in-1 commode or raised toilet seat. Both improve the height of the toilet seat and provide handles that the person can use to get up from the toilet. People with severe lower extremity weakness or paralysis who rely on a wheelchair for mobility and a transfer board for safe transfers would benefit the most from a commode chair. drooping arms.

With a comfortable folding chair. The chair arms swing out or down to provide a flat surface for safe lateral transfers for these individuals. Additionally, a patient can use a shower chair with or without a backrest to conserve energy and reduce the risk of collapsing while showering. Patients with hemiparesis, specific restrictions in range of motion, or impaired balance often require a tub transfer bench to safely get in and out of the tub. This allows the client to remain seated while maneuvering their lower limbs in and out of the tub. In addition to the basic DME, a handheld showerhead, grab bars for placement in the shower and toilet, and a floor-to-ceiling transfer pole may be recommended to increase bathroom safety.

Looking at the criteria for durable medical equipment, hearing aids appear to qualify. After all, you use them every day and they last for over three years. Unfortunately, they are not qualified as DME.

Hearing loss affects about 25% of people aged 65 to 75 and 50% of people aged 75 and over. However, hearing aids are not yet considered durable medical equipment and are not covered by Medicare or most private insurers.

Instead, hearing aids are classified as optional or Class I medical devices.

Class, I medical equipment is not medically necessary by definition. Hearing aids are not eligible as the EMR only covers medically necessary equipment. If you are concerned about the cost of hearing aids because they are not considered Medicare-approved durable medical equipment, For more information visit our website.