Neurosurgery Coding Alert

Question: One of our physicians wants to provide durable medical equipment in the office for his patients. Is this allowed in a neurosurgery practice?

Montana Subscriber

Answer: Some neurosurgeons do occasionally provide items such as off-the-shelf back braces, neck braces, or wrist splints to their patients. You should be fine as long as you have a Medicare durable medical equipment (DME) provider number.

Do this: Register through Cigna Government Services to become a provider, then check with each payer to see if it will allow you to provide the service to contracted patients. Some insurers have their own DME supplier that they want patients to use.