If you’ve been diagnosed with incontinence, you may wonder, “Does Medicaid cover incontinence supplies?” The cost of incontinence supplies can quickly add up, making it essential for most patients to determine what supplies are covered through their insurance.
Fortunately, Medicaid can often help offset the supply cost incurred by incontinence patients. Below, we’ll discuss details about Medicaid incontinence supply coverage and how you may be eligible for assistance through your state’s Medicaid program.
What Are Incontinence Supplies?
When a patient is experiencing urinary, fecal, or mixed incontinence (both urinary and fecal), they can use incontinence supplies to manage the condition.
Various incontinence conditions and medical diagnoses cause incontinence, but there are various incontinence supplies to support individual patient needs. Some of the most common incontinence supplies used and prescribed can include:
- Booster Pads: Booster pads used inside a diaper or pull-up help with additional absorbency.
- Cream: Barrier cream can be applied to a patient’s skin while using incontinence supplies to help keep moisture from resting on the skin.
- Diapers/Briefs: This is a more traditional style of incontinence supply; briefs are used for moderate to heavy incontinence and have tape tabs on the side for secure fitting.
- Gloves: Gloves used by the patient help increase sanitation while changing incontinence supplies.
- Pads/Liners: Pads and liners come in all shapes and sizes and can be used inside a patient’s underwear for light to medium incontinence support.
- Pull-Ups: Pull-ups are a form of disposable underwear used by men and women for moderate to heavy incontinence.
- Underpads: Also referred to as chux, underpads protect beds and seating surfaces from any incontinence-related leaking.
- Wash: For some patients, cleansing can be more straightforward during changes by using an incontinence wash. With this cleanser, spray it onto the skin and wipe it clean.
- Wipes: Incontinence wipes can be used for cleansing in between changes to keep the patient’s skin clean.
What Is Medicaid?
Approximately 75.4 million people in the United States use Medicaid health insurance. This program, established by state and federal guidelines, is for eligible seniors, adults, and children who meet low-income or other requirements.
Who Is Eligible for Medicaid?
There are a variety of factors that determine someone’s eligibility for Medicaid benefits; these factors can include, but are not limited to:
- Age
- Disability status
- Family size
- Income
If you are unsure if you qualify for Medicaid benefits, you can do one of the following for either more information or to apply:
- Apply In The Marketplace: Apply to Medicaid through the HealthCare.gov. A representative will review your current situation to determine which health programs best suit your needs.
- Check With Your State: Medicaid coverage varies from state to state. Some states offer blanket Medicaid coverage for all persons under a certain income level, while others have other stipulations and requirements. You should check your state’s Medicaid website for more eligibility information. Start with the Medicaid.gov official website to understand your coverage.
Does Medicaid Cover Incontinence Supplies?
While not every state offers coverage of incontinence supplies through Medicaid programs, most do. Currently, 45 states in the United States allow eligible Medicaid participants to receive some incontinence supplies covered when prescribed and medically necessary.
The types and quantities of incontinence supplies covered by Medicaid vary from state to state. Each state guides its own Medicaid policies and requirements for incontinence supply coverage. Some of the incontinence supplies that Medicaid can cover include:
- Booster Pads
- Cream
- Diapers/Briefs
- Gloves
- Liners/Inserts
- Pads/Liners
- Pull-Ups
- Reusable Waterproof Sheeting
- Underpads/Chux
- Wash
- Wipes
How To Get Your Diapers Covered By Medicaid
Coverage of incontinence supplies through Medicaid is determined by each state’s program and my medical necessity. Each patient’s physician and current medical needs are considered for medical necessity.
For incontinence supplies to be considered medically necessary, they must be directly needed to support and treat qualifying medical conditions. A physician must then prescribe the appropriate incontinence supplies for the patient, indicate how much supplies are needed and how often, and provide any required documentation for medical necessity.
Some of the medical documentation required by Medicaid programs for incontinence supply coverage can include, but are not limited to:
- Assignment of Benefits (AOB)
- Certificates of Medical Necessity (CMN)
- Chart notes or medical records
- Letters of Medical Necessity (LMN)
- Prescriptions
How Active Life Medical Products Can Help You Incontinence Supplies
You need a trusted incontinence product supplier when you require incontinence supplies. Active Life Medical Products makes ordering the entire incontinence supply process easy. Our Product Specialists can help you get your prescribed incontinence supplies covered through most insurances. Everything will be delivered directly and discreetly to your front door.
Call Active Life Medical Products at (800) 319-2336 to place your order.
