HI 00601.205 Supplies, Appliances and Equipment

Supplies, appliances, and equipment furnished for use in the facility, which are ordinarily furnished by the facility for the care and treatment of inpatients are covered extended care services. However, under certain circumstances, supplies, appliances, and equipment used during the beneficiary's stay are covered even though they leave the facility with the patient when they are discharged. These are circumstances in which it would be unreasonable or impossible from a medical standpoint to limit the patient's use of the item to the periods during which the individual is an inpatient. An example of items covered under this rule is a brace temporarily attached to the patient's body while they are receiving treatment as an inpatient and which is also necessary to permit or facilitate the patient's release from the facility.

Supplies, appliances, and equipment furnished to a patient for use only outside the facility would not, in general, be covered as extended care services. However, a temporary or disposable item provided to a patient which is medically necessary to permit or facilitate their departure from the facility and is required until such time as they can obtain a continuing supply would be covered as an extended care service.