How employees can save on durable medical equipment
Buy-Durable-Medical-Equipment.png
Durable medical equipment (DME) expenses rose to a total of $72.8 billion, or 1 percent of all U.S. health care spending in 2023. The need for DME can arise unexpectedly for your employees, and it's normally a time-sensitive purchase. Educating your employees before they need DME will likely save them money — and alleviate any headaches — out of the gate.
DME is a term that many may not be familiar with, even though it’s frequently used to treat or help with medical conditions. And, similar to medications, your employees will need their primary care provider to write them a prescription to purchase covered DME. This quick-start guide will help you and your employees find in-network DME easily.
What is durable medical equipment? Common devices and uses
DME commonly consists of equipment to help your employees perform activities they would otherwise find difficult due to medical circumstances. DME may be used by your employee temporarily while they recover from a medical issue, or can be used indefinitely for lifelong conditions.
Some of the more common DME devices include:
- Insulin pumps
- Breast pumps
- Oxygen equipment
- Wheelchairs
When is DME needed?
The need for DME may arise from a sudden event, such as your employee breaking their ankle and needing a knee scooter to be prescribed. In these instances, a medical provider will write a DME prescription at the time of treatment.
In other scenarios, your employees may need DME due to an ongoing medical condition that has worsened with time. In these instances, it’s important the employee first seeks treatment from a health care provider to get a prescription for their DME.
Determining if durable medical equipment is covered
The first step your employees should take before ordering DME is to get a prescription from their doctor.
Step two? Employees can learn more about their plan's durable medical equipment coverage in myWellmark®. In the Coverage tab, employees can find their coverage list and cost information, like copays and coinsurance, to see what DME is covered and how much they may pay out-of-pocket.
Tip: your employees can look under “H” in their coverage list for Home/Durable Medical Equipment. For additional questions, employees can call the Customer Service number on the back of their ID cards.
Bonus: Use this ready-to-share article to give your employees a more detailed look at purchasing DME with BlueSM.
How your employees can purchase durable medical equipment
Employees can use the Find a Provider tool in myWellmark to search for in‑network DME providers by searching for “durable medical equipment” under facility type.
By following the three main rules of DME — getting a prescription, checking their coverage and using an in-network DME provider — your employees can save time and money.
Questions? Contact your authorized Wellmark account representative, or email us at blueatwork@wellmark.com.