Durable Medical Equipment After Hospital Discharge in Connecticut

Your parent is being discharged from a Connecticut hospital and the care plan calls for a hospital bed, oxygen concentrator, or wheelchair at home. The equipment needs to be there before your parent arrives — but the ordering, coverage, and delivery logistics aren't as straightforward as they should be.

What Medicare Covers

Medicare Part B covers 80% of the approved amount for medically necessary durable medical equipment. The patient pays the remaining 20% after meeting the Part B annual deductible. Most Medigap supplemental plans cover the 20% coinsurance.

To qualify for Medicare DME coverage, all of these must be true:

• A physician prescribes the equipment with a written order
• The equipment serves a medical purpose (not convenience)
• The equipment is used in the home
• The equipment is durable — built to withstand repeated use
• The supplier is enrolled in Medicare

Common DME items covered after hospital discharge:

• Hospital beds (adjustable, with side rails) — typically rented by month
• Oxygen equipment (concentrators, portable tanks, pulse oximeters) — rental for the first 36 months, then owned
• Walkers, canes, and rollators — purchased outright
• Wheelchairs (manual and power) — complex power chairs require face-to-face evaluation
• Commodes and shower chairs — purchased
• CPAP/BiPAP machines — rental with adherence requirements

Rental vs. Purchase

Medicare handles some equipment as rentals and others as purchases. Hospital beds and oxygen equipment are rental items — Medicare pays monthly and the supplier maintains the equipment. After the rental period (typically 13 months for most items, 36 months for oxygen), ownership transfers to the patient.

Items like walkers, canes, commodes, and shower chairs are purchased outright. Medicare pays 80% of the approved purchase price.

For expensive items like power wheelchairs, Medicare uses a "capped rental" model — monthly payments for 13 months, after which the patient owns the chair. The supplier remains responsible for maintenance and repairs during the rental period.

Coordinating Delivery Before Discharge

The biggest practical challenge is timing. Equipment needs to be at the home, assembled, and tested before your parent arrives. Start coordinating at least 48 hours before the planned discharge:

1. Get the physician's order: The discharge physician writes the prescription specifying each piece of equipment and the medical justification.
2. Choose a supplier: The hospital discharge planner will recommend a DME supplier, but you can use any Medicare-enrolled supplier. Check enrollment status at medicare.gov.
3. Confirm delivery date: Book delivery for the day before discharge. If equipment arrives the morning of discharge, you're gambling on logistics.
4. Verify setup: Hospital beds and oxygen concentrators require setup and testing. The supplier should demonstrate operation to whoever will be managing equipment at home.

Medicare Advantage DME Rules

If your parent has a Medicare Advantage plan, DME coverage follows the plan's network rules. Most Advantage plans require using in-network DME suppliers and may require prior authorization before delivery.

Get prior authorization confirmed in writing before discharge. A verbal approval isn't sufficient — if the authorization is later denied, you may be liable for the full cost.

When Medicare Won't Cover It

Some items families need after discharge aren't covered by Medicare: grab bars, raised toilet seats (standalone — commode frames are covered), ramps, stair lifts, and home modifications. These are considered home improvements rather than medical equipment.

For items Medicare won't cover, check whether the Connecticut Home Care Program for Elders (CHCPE) can help. CHCPE-funded care plans can include environmental modifications and assistive devices that fall outside Medicare's DME categories.

The Connecticut Hospital-to-Home Discharge Guide includes a DME coordination checklist, Medicare coverage reference table, and supplier evaluation criteria to help you get the right equipment in place before discharge day.

See more Connecticut guides →