If you need certain medical equipment and supplies, such as oxygen or a power wheelchair, you should know about changes that Medicare has implemented.

Starting Jan. 1, 2011, if you live in or visit Greater Kansas City (including Johnson County) and need equipment or supplies included in the program, you will be required to use Medicare contract suppliers if you want Medicare to help you pay for the item.

If you rent oxygen or certain other items such as continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines or hospital beds, you may be able to continue renting these items from your current supplier if the supplier decides to participate in the program as a "grandfathered" supplier.

The program will not change which items and services are covered by Medicare if you use a Medicare contract supplier.

Areas and items included

Nine areas, including Greater Kansas City, are included in the new program. The product categories included in the program for those areas are:

• oxygen, oxygen equipment, and supplies;
• standard power wheelchairs, scooters, and related accessories;
  
• complex rehabilitative power wheelchairs and related accessories (group 2 only);
  
• mail-order diabetic supplies;
  
• enteral nutrients, equipment, and supplies;
  
• CPAP devices and respiratory assist devices and related supplies and accessories;
  
• hospital beds and related accessories;
  
• walkers and related accessories; and
  
• support surfaces (group 2 mattresses and overlays not included in Greater Kansas City).

Medicare pays less, co-payments go down

Under this new program, suppliers submit bids for certain medical equipment and supplies. The bids must be lower than what Medicare now pays for these items. Because Medicare's payment amount will be less, co-insurance amounts will be less.

Get more information

Medicare announced the contract suppliers for the new program in September, and that information is available at www.medicare.gov. Ask your current supplier whether it is a Medicare contract supplier to be sure your item is covered by Medicare and to avoid any disruption of service. For more information, call 800-633-4227 or visit www.medicare.gov.

Source: United States Department of Health and Human Services