FW: Question about Medicare and DME

June 15, 2006

Hi everyone,

I have a Medicare home health patient who is having problems with a DME

supplier and I am trying to find out more information on her behalf. She is

making phone calls as well. She has need of bariatric equipment including

a front wheeled walker. She has been using a loaner walker from the SNF she

was in but it has to be returned. The DME company delivered a new walker but

it is still not quite large enough and posed a small risk of loss of

balance. (This company did have her weight at the time they ordered the

equipment.) They told her after delivery that it would take 2 weeks to get

another appropriate sized walker AND they would not leave any type of

loaner. They told her she had to return the walker they delivered the next

day (on Saturday) or they would bill Medicare.

This patient cannot get around without the walker so she decided to keep the

walker that was delivered for now since her loaner must go back. She felt

she had no choice. She did not let me know about all this until today so I

need to back track and see what can be done.

Does the DME company have the right to bill Medicare for this equipment,

even thought it is the wrong size for her?

Do they have to provide a loaner if it takes so long to get equipment in?

Is the two weeks reasonable for waiting for bariatric equipment? This is

the Boise, Idaho metro area but that seemed ridiculous!

Needless to say, this patient will not use this company if possible but she

is moving back to her home (staying with family now) in a smaller town soon

and there may not be a choice. Besides being poor customer service, it

seems that this company may be violating Medicare policy. While we are

tracking down information, I would appreciate any input on what we may or

may not be able to do.

Thanks!

Tom Howell, P.T., M.P.T.

Howell Physical Therapy

Eagle, ID

howellpt@...

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