The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced that home medical equipment (HME)/durable medical equipment (DME) suppliers will need to start obtaining a written order prior to delivery (WOPD) for three hospital bed codes for Medicare beneficiaries.

Starting Aug. 12, 2024, the WOPD requirement will apply to E0290 (Hospital bed, fixed height, without side rails, with mattress); E0301 (Hospital bed, heavy duty, extra wide, with weight capacity greater than 350 lbs., but less than or equal to 600 lbs.); and E0304 (Hospital bed, extra heavy duty, extra wide, with weight capacity greater than 600 lbs., with any type side rails, with mattress).

An Aug. 5 bulletin from CGS Administrators, the Jurisdictions B and C DME MAC also said, “The treating practitioner must document and communicate to the DMEPOS supplier that they had a face-to-face [F2F] encounter with the patient within six months before the date on the written order.”