Durable Medical Equipment

Tracy Wodatch, RN, BSN

CT Association for Health Care at Home

• Home Health and Hospice care leaders in CT
• Champions of home-based solutions
• Provide clinical, regulatory and legislative support
• 60 licensed/certified agencies
• Dozens of private agencies

The Issues of DME

• Order prior to delivery
• Face to face evaluation
• Competitive bidding
• Impact on delivery of care
• Impact on access to care

Major Barriers

• Competitive bidding contracts
• Documentation to support O2 at home
• Delay in equipment delivery
• Types of equipment for reimbursement

Best Practices

• Collaborate across the continuum
• Ongoing agenda item at meetings
• MLN Oxygen Supplies fact sheet

Lessons Learned

• Be proactive
• Educate on coverage / documentation
• Meet with vendors
• Work with providers across continuum

How does my Community of Care make a Difference?

Next Steps

• Distribute MLN sheet
• Continued agenda item
• Encourage meetings with vendors

For Competitive Bidding Questions:

• Ed McGuire
• CMS Competitive Bidding Liaison
• 508-853-1784
• edward.mcguire@palmettogba.com