Durable medical equipment

Reusable medical equipment for long-term use at home: wheelchairs, walkers, hospital beds, oxygen concentrators, CPAP machines, glucose meters, lift chairs, etc. Medicare Part B covers 80% of approved DME for eligible patients with a prescription; the remaining 20% comes out of pocket or via Medigap.

What it means in practice

DME is the reusable equipment a patient uses at home for medical reasons. Medicare's standard is "withstands repeated use, primarily and customarily used to serve a medical purpose, generally not useful in the absence of illness or injury, appropriate for use in the home." That defines what qualifies (e.g., a wheelchair) vs. what doesn't (e.g., a regular bed, since beds are useful for non-medical purposes).

Medicare Part B coverage for DME requires three things: (1) a physician's prescription, (2) the supplier must be Medicare-enrolled (and for many items, must meet competitive-bidding contract requirements in the patient's ZIP code), and (3) the equipment must meet medical-necessity criteria spelled out in CMS Local Coverage Determinations. Some items have strict documentation requirements that the prescribing doctor's office handles; others rent first (with monthly Medicare payments) then convert to ownership after a "capped rental" period.

Common DME categories families encounter:

• **Mobility**: standard walker (often $50-100, fully covered with $20-40 patient share), rollator with seat, manual wheelchair, power wheelchair, scooter, lift chair (for the lift mechanism — the chair itself isn't covered) • **Bed equipment**: hospital bed, trapeze, alternating-pressure mattress (for wound prevention), bedside commode • **Respiratory**: home oxygen (concentrator + tanks), CPAP/BiPAP, nebulizer • **Diabetes**: glucose meter, test strips, continuous glucose monitor (CGM — increasingly covered), insulin pump • **Daily living**: shower chair, raised toilet seat, grab bars (these are typically NOT covered — Medicare considers them "convenience items"; families pay out-of-pocket)

The 20% patient coinsurance has no annual cap on original Medicare (Medigap covers it; Medicare Advantage has its OOP max).

What's often NOT covered: home modifications (ramps, doorway widening), most personal-care items (incontinence supplies, except in specific cases), most home-safety items (grab bars, non-slip mats). Some Medicare Advantage plans add benefits for these as supplemental coverage; check your parent's specific plan.

When you'll hear it

After hospital discharge when home equipment is being arranged ("the hospital is sending over a walker through DME"). Also during the management of any chronic condition that needs supportive equipment.

Is this the same as…?

Terms families frequently confuse with durable medical equipment.

Related terms

• Medicare Part B — Covers physician services, outpatient care, durable medical equipment, and most preventive services.
• Medicare Advantage — A private-insurance alternative to original Medicare (Parts A + B), bundling the coverage with extras like prescription drugs, vision, dental, gym memberships, and sometimes meal delivery.
• Medigap — Private supplemental insurance designed to cover the deductibles and coinsurance that original Medicare (Parts A + B) doesn't.
• Home health — Skilled medical care delivered in the home by nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, or speech therapists — typically following hospitalization or during the management of a serious condition.
• Home health aide — A trained but unlicensed worker who provides hands-on assistance with bathing, dressing, toileting, meal preparation, and medication reminders in the home.

Where this comes up in caregiving

See also: all glossary terms · conditions by name · step-by-step playbooks