Medicare beneficiaries who own durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics and supplies will follow a new set guidelines for equipment repair beginning in November. CMS released new guidance on supplier documentation for DMEPOS repair claims.
“From patient complaints to members of Congress, it has taken many voices to help CMS understand that the current state of medical equipment repair is unacceptable,” Tom Ryan, chief executive officer of the American Association of Homecare, stated in a press release. “This new guidance is a step in the right direction towards fixing the convoluted and confusing documentation requirements.”
Per CMS instructions, DME MACs only need to review the necessity of the repair when making a payment determination and should not determine if the requirements for the initial provision of the DMEPOS item were met when it was originally ordered. According to a press release, if Medicare paid for the base equipment initially, providers will now be able to repair equipment without the burden of finding the medical necessity documentation from the original provider.
“[The American Association of Homecare] has worked hand in hand with CMS to come to a resolution on this important issue,” Kim Brummett, vice president of the American Association of Homecare, stated in a release. “I am excited to see CMS listening and responding to industry concerns. This development is evidence of the success of collaboration.”
