A new Medicare program may save you money on medical equipment and supplies
Thursday, December 2, 2010
If you are on Medicare and live in the Pittsburgh metropolitan area, you may begin paying less for certain durable medical equipment and supplies. Beginning January 1, 2011, Medicare beneficiaries with Original Medicare who live (or travel) in certain metropolitan areas will need to use Medicare contracted durable medical equipment suppliers. Each contracted supplier has arranged with Medicare to rent or purchase the following equipment or supplies at a lower price, lowering beneficiaries out-of-pocket cost.
- Oxygen, oxygen equipment, and supplies
- 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
- Walkers and related accessories
In some cases, beneficiaries who already rent any of the above equipment may be able to stay with their current supplier. A non-contracted “grandfathered” supplier can continue to rent equipment to existing Medicare customers and Medicare will still help pay. Beneficiaries should call their current supplier directly to determine if it is a contracted or grandfathered supplier.
This new policy will apply to those who live in the following Pennsylvania areas:
- Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania)
- All of Allegheny County, Armstrong County, Beaver County, Butler County, Fayette County, Washington County and Westmoreland County
- Parts of Clarion County, Greene County, Indiana County, Jefferson County, Lawrence County, Mercer County, Somerset County and Venango County
Additionally, Medicare beneficiaries who travel outside of Pennsylvania in any of areas listed below will need to use a contracted supplier in that area and should contact 1-800-Medicare prior to traveling:
- Charlotte – Gastonia –Concord (North Carolina and South Carolina)
- Cincinnati – Middletown (Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana)
- Cleveland-Elyria-Mentor (Ohio)
- Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington (Texas)
- Kansas City (Missouri and Kansas)
- Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach (Florida)
- Orlando – Kissimmee (Florida)
- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario (California)
To find out if a specific zip code is affected, call 1-800-MEDICARE or visit www.medicare.gov
Medicare Beneficiaries who live or travel regularly in affected areas need to review the list of contracted suppliers. This list of contracted suppliers can be found at www.medicare.gov/supplier or http://www.cms.gov/DMEPOSCompetitiveBid/Downloads/Pittsburgh.pdf. Affected beneficiaries must contact those suppliers directly to make any future arrangements to rent or purchase medical equipment or supplies.
For more information, please call 1-800-MEDICARE or visit www.medicare.gov to review the fact sheet, “What You Should Know if You Need Medicare-covered Equipment or Supplies.” Further information can also be found online at www.dmecompetitivebid.com. Beneficiaries may also want to contact a Pennsylvania APPRISE counselor at 1-800-783-7067. APPRISE is Medicare’s state-based health insurance assistance program that offers local counseling to people on Medicare. If you have additional questions, please contact my office of constituent services at 1-866-461-9159.