Do medical expense policies typically cover durable medical equipment (DME)?

• A. Never covered.
• B. Often yes if medically necessary, subject to limits and coinsurance.
• C. Only if rented.
• D. Automatically covered without limits.

Answer: (B)

Durable medical equipment is covered by medical expense policies when a physician determines it is medically necessary for treatment or enabling the patient to function. Coverage isn’t automatic and isn’t unlimited; it usually comes with benefit limits, a deductible, and some level of cost-sharing (coinsurance or copay). Policies may also specify whether items are rented or purchased and set per-item or per-year caps on DME. Examples of covered DME include wheelchairs, walkers, hospital beds, oxygen equipment, and crutches. So, it’s common to have coverage for DME when it’s medically necessary, but with the usual limits and patient responsibility.

Inaccurate options fail to reflect this: DME is not never covered, it isn’t guaranteed to be covered without limits, and it isn’t always rented or automatically covered without any limits.