DME MACs Issue Reminder About Billing for Walkers

• By Laurie Watanabe
• Nov 15, 2013

Medicare's DME MAC contractors have issued a reminder to DME suppliers regarding the correct billing of walkers and brake attachments.

The affected walker HCPCS codes are E0141 (walker, rigid, wheeled, adjustable or fixed height); E0143 (walker, folding, wheeled, adjustable or fixed height) and E0149 (walker, heavy duty, wheeled, rigid or folding, any type).

The DME MACs have reported that they've noticed problems with billing - specifically, the unbundling of the walkers and brake attachments.

"Upon initial issue of an E0141, E0143 and E0149, if brakes are being provided at the same time, the charges for these are included in the reimbursement for the walker and may not be billed separately to the DME MACs or the beneficiary," the contractors said in bulletins sent in October.

The bulletins added that an Advance Beneficiary Notice of Noncoverage (ABN) "should not be executed to shift financial liability to the beneficiary for brakes being provided at the time the walker is dispensed."