Medicare expands osteoporosis coverage
Medicare expands osteoporosis coverage
On July 1, Medicare expanded coverage of preventive benefits for beneficiaries at risk for osteoporosis and other bone abnormalities, and for people with diabetes, according to the Department of Health and Human Services in Washington, DC.
Eligible beneficiaries with bone abnormalities will be able to have their bone mass measured once every two years, or more often if medically necessary. Physicians will be able to use all of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved or cleared bone densitometry and sonometry devices that are currently available in the United States. In the past, bone mass measurement reimbursement was determined by regional contractors. The new law ensures that all beneficiaries who need the coverage, no matter where they live, will be covered.
Additionally, all Medicare beneficiaries with diabetes, whether or not they use insulin, now have coverage for blood glucose monitors and testing strips so they can monitor their own blood glucose levels. Medicare formerly covered blood glucose monitors and testing strips only for insulin-dependent diabetics.
Medicare is also covering a wider range of education and training programs to help teach diabetics to control their blood glucose levels. Historically, coverage for services such as these were not covered outside the hospital. These training programs do not have to be hospital-based. In the past, Medicare covered only education and training furnished by hospital-based programs.
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