Have you ever been curious about the term Medical Supplier and wondered what it meant?  More often than not, a medical supply company are the ones who would cater to supplying persons with what is referred to as DME or durable medical equipment.

They would ensure that these supplies are provided to the persons who require it, in accordance with the Department of Social Services. These are typically the necessary supplies that a client would need after being discharged from the hospital or for their home-care needs.

DME (Durable Medical Equipment)

In many cases, people need particular kinds of DME or unique provisions in order to live as independently as possible with a high quality of life.

In other cases, a person might only need the supplies once. These supplies and equipment can be easily bought from a supplier of medical equipment.

Examples of DME supplies

  • Breast pumps
  • Wheelchairs
  • Colostomy bags
  • C-PAP Continuous Positive Airway Pressure machines and supplies
  • Oxygen
  • Crutches
  • Hospice beds
  • High calorie formula
  • Shower chairs
  • Foot orthodontics

In a case where the patient is only going to be needing the equipment for a short period of time then instead of buying it, they can simply just rent the equipment.  An example of a temporary DME would be crutches.

A C-PAP machine is a normal case where the patient would need the equipment for long term use. In this case, it would be more common to start out renting then transition into a purchase. However, there are various other equipment that can be paid for without renting it first.

 

Health Insurance

Medicaid and Medicare are amongst the mass of insurance companies who would most likely cover the majority of DME supplies. So please ensure that you check that your health insurance coverage would cover a situation where you would need the DME products.  In most cases, you would have to meet a deductible first.  It is also of great importance that the company that you have chosen to get your medical supplies from provides to your insurance company.

A lot of insurance companies would expect previous approval for rentals or any model of equipment that is bought for a total of five hundred dollars or more. It is important that the medical equipment supplier have someone on their staff who would be handling claim submissions to the insurance company and who would ensure that the correct endorsements are in place.

 

A bit more information about Medical Supplies

A medical supplier should also be the one to fully assist the patient with ensuring that they get the proper equipment they desire.

Some of these supplier companies have an appointed staff member who would go to hospitals or visit the client’s household to aid them in learning how to manage and operate specific types of equipment. They would also help in cases where the person needs to get fitted for a wheelchair.

Remember that durable medical supplies such as wheelchairs (whether they are electric, or manual), canes, hospital beds, crutches, kidney machines, nebulizers, oxygen masks etc., all of these are valuable resources that need to be utilized with responsibility and care.

So, in conclusion, a medical equipment supplier is essential. It is vital to have one to guarantee a smooth transition for the patient’s recovery.