Check "No Cost To You" Claims Before Buying

DON'T BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU SEE ON TELEVISION


You see it everytime you turn on the tv. It's a commercial for a national power chair or scooter company claiming they can provide a chair "no cost to you." This can be very misleading. It often gives a false impression that it's your fault if you have to pay. To understand what they mean by "no cost to you," you need to understand you insurance benefits.

Medicare pays 80% of your DME benefits while you are responsible for the remaining 20%. If you are lucky enough to have a secondary insurance, the secondary usually pays the remaining 20%. However, some plans only pay a portion of the secondary benefit so it is wise to consult your insurance directly. When someone had Medicare primary and a secondary insurance that pays the complete 20%, this is what they mean by "no cost to you."

Another point to consider will be your deductible. If you have not met your Medicare deductible or your secondary deductible, you still might have out of pocket expenses. It's always wise to consult the billing department of the DME provider you are using to let them advise you on expected costs.

Hope this helps!