[Jamie Hagan]

We had a person who had a hospital bed for 10 months and decided to move three hours away. We told them it would be in their best interest to keep the bed and take it with them which they refused to do. Now they are in a new city and I have a DME Supplier calling me trying to get me to ship a bed to them to set up for the patient since they want a bed again and it would not be a BIS and me bill it for that last three payments. What does everyone think about this and the responsiblity that I have to do something about this after telling them to take it in the first place?

[SUEG]

I run into this also. This is the great part that the patient needs to be educated and that they have a responsibility to the reality of Medicare! Do it non-assigned and go fromthere.

[twiedemer]

If the patient was informed that they are out of your service area why can't you say no? What are you going to do if something breaks on it in the next month or two? Send a tech to fix it or sub contract with another provider? Just wondering.

[HEATHER]

You are not required to do anything. Even if you hadn't informed the patient that they should take it with them. They requested a pick up. You are not required to hold that bed for them or expand your service area. Medicare has told me, in an almost exact same circumstance, that the old company was not obligated to provide anything. Period. The patient was left on the hook to pay for his own equipment. Call Medicare and ask them. If they tell you you are obligated - ask them where you can see that in writing. This isn't a w/c we are talking about. There is a lot of liability and cost assoc. w/ shipping a bed and relying on others to set it up.

Of course if this patient resides in a CB area and you won a contract in that area for beds - then you will have to provide it.

[Jamie Hagan]

Thanks a Bunch!! Appreciate your insight guys