| This is often the first question that is asked when | | | | things to file. |
| shopping for a lift chair. Medicare will no longer | | | | - A CMN (Certificate of Medical Necessity) |
| reimburse the entire cost of the lift chair but it will pay | | | | - A bill of sale |
| for the cost of the lifting mechanism. Under Medicare, | | | | - A doctor's prescription for a lift chair recliner and your |
| the lift mechanism is considered durable medical | | | | doctor's signature on the CMN. |
| equipment (DME) which is covered if your doctor | | | | Most distributors will provide the CMN straight from |
| prescribes it for use in your home. The total amount of | | | | their website or through the mail and will also provide |
| reimbursement can vary from state to state, but it is | | | | you with the bill of sale after purchase. There are 5 |
| usually around $300. | | | | questions your doctor will need to answer on the CMN. |
| You will have to pay for the lift chair up front and then | | | | 1. Does patient have severe arthritis of the hip or |
| fill out a claim to Medicare for reimbursement. | | | | knees? |
| Reimbursement may be made for a purchase of | | | | 2. Does patient have a severe neuromuscular |
| medically necessary lift chairs but the patient must | | | | disease? |
| suffer from severe arthritis of the hip or knee, | | | | 3. Is the patient completely incapable of standing up |
| muscular dystrophy or from other neuromuscular | | | | from a regular armchair or any chair in his/her home? |
| diseases. Medicare policy states that the lift chair must | | | | 4. Once standing, does the patient have the ability to |
| be included in the physician's course of treatment, that | | | | ambulate (walk or move about)? |
| it is likely to effect improvement, or that it may arrest | | | | 5. Have all appropriate therapeutic modalities to enable |
| or retard deterioration in the patient's condition. | | | | the patient to transfer from a chair to a standing |
| Additionally, the coverage of the lift mechanism in a lift | | | | position (e.g., medication, physical therapy) been tried |
| chair is limited to those types which operate smoothly, | | | | and failed? If YES, this is documented in the patient's |
| can be controlled by the patient, and effectively assist | | | | medical records. |
| a patient in standing up and sitting down without other | | | | Once your doctor has completed and signed the CMN, |
| assistance. There is a type of lift that is operated by a | | | | you must then mail it with a copy of your prescription |
| spring release mechanism that is not covered by | | | | for the lift chair to your Medicare regional claims office. |
| Medicare because of its sudden, catapult-like motion. | | | | If you are approved, a reimbursement check will be |
| How To File for Reimbursement | | | | mailed back to you. |
| It's actually a fairly simple process. You will need 3 | | | | |