Getting Durable Medical Equipment Through Insurance

Mobility devices and hospital beds can be covered by insurance in certain cases because they are considered durable medical equipment (DME). This is not a service we provide (yet). But we can give you all the details on how to get it done.

It requires:

• a visit to the doctor
• a prescription
• sometimes a therapy visit
• no similar device ordered within the past 5 years (unless the person's abilities have declined)
  

It can take 2-3 months to get things like a power wheelchair. But it is financially worth it to go through insurance for custom devices. 

If you want to try to get a hospital bed, manual wheelchair, scooter or power wheelchair through insurance follow these steps:

1. Schedule an in person visit with the physician or nurse practitioner - they'll need to write a prescription and write they recommend it in their clinic notes.
2. Connect with a wheelchair provider in your area that accepts your insurance. Use the Medicare Supplier Directory to help.
3. They will help you the rest of the way by scheduling an evaluation (if needed), collecting paperwork and getting it sent to the insurance provider for approval. Finally they will provide the device and maintenance for the next 5 years.