What is Durable Equipment (DME)
Durable Medical Equipment as defined by Medicare is reusable medical equipment that is medically necessary due to injury or illness. Examples of DME are blood sugar monitors, walkers, crutches, wheelchairs, and home oxygen equipment and their accessories.

To obtain Durable Medical Equipment (DME) it must be prescribed by your doctor or other health care provider (like a physician’s assistant or nurse practitioner) and it must be for use in your home. In some cases, it may also be used outside your home. An example of this would be a wheelchair.

Durable Medical Equipment Covered by Medicare
• Blood sugar monitors
• Blood sugar test strips
• Canes
• Commode chairs
• Continuous passive motion devices
• Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) devices
• Crutches
• Hospital beds
• Infusion pumps & supplies
• Lancet devices & lancets
• Nebulizers & nebulizer medications
• Oxygen equipment & accessories
• Patient lifts
• Pressure-reducing support surfaces
• Suction pumps
• Traction equipment
• Walkers
• Wheelchairs & scooters

This list does not include all DME covered by Medicare

What Part of Medicare Covers DME?
DME is covered under Medicare Part B and what you pay will be determined by the type of Medicare coverage you have.

• Under Original Medicare, which consists of Medicare Part A & B, you will be responsible for 20% of the cost after you have paid the Part B deductible, which for 2020 is $198.00 annually

• If you have Original Medicare along with a Medicare Supplement, depending on which you plan you purchased, your plan will cover some or possibly 100% of the cost.

• When you have a Medicare Advantage Plan your cost will depend on your plan and you will need to call your plan to determine how much you will pay.

Note
For Medicare to cover Durable Medical Equipment (DME) your doctor, along with your DME supplier, must be enrolled in Medicare. If your doctors or suppliers aren’t enrolled with Medicare you will be responsible for the cost.

Download the Medicare Coverage of Durable Medical Equipment Booklet
This article is only a brief overview of Medicare’s coverage of Durable Medical Equipment. For more detailed information, you can read or download the official Medicare booklet by clicking the link below.

Medicare Guide to Durable Medicare Equipment

Your Questions and Concerns are my Business
I help seniors confused by their Medicare options by explaining Medicare in plain English, saving them time and money.

Whether you are new to Medicare and need someone to explain how the different parts of Medicare work together or have had a Medicare plan for years and want to know if you may be paying too much, I am here to help.

I specialize in Medicare plans for seniors and represent all Medicare Supplement plan types.

Medicare Explained in Plain English