For any item to be covered by Medicare, it must 1) be eligible for a defined
Medicare benefit category, 2) be reasonable and necessary for the diagnosis or
treatment of illness or injury or to improve the functioning of a malformed
body member, and 3) meet all other applicable Medicare statutory and
regulatory requirements.  
  
The purpose of a Local Coverage Determination (LCD) is to provide information
regarding "reasonable and necessary" criteria based on Social Security Act 
1862(a)(1)(A) provisions.  
  
In addition to the "reasonable and necessary" criteria contained in this LCD
there are other payment rules, which are discussed in the following documents,
that must also be met prior to Medicare reimbursement:  
  

  * The LCD-related Standard Documentation Requirements Article, located at the bottom of this policy under the Related Local Coverage Documents section.

  * The LCD-related Policy Article, located at the bottom of this policy under the Related Local Coverage Documents section.

  * Refer to the Supplier Manual for additional information on documentation requirements.

  * Refer to the DME MAC web sites for additional bulletin articles and other publications related to this LCD.

  
For the items addressed in this LCD, the "reasonable and necessary" criteria,
based on Social Security Act  1862(a)(1)(A) provisions, are defined by the
following coverage indications, limitations and/or medical necessity.  
  
A standard walker (E0130, E0135, E0141, E0143) and related accessories are
covered if all of the following criteria (1-3) are met:  
  

  1. The beneficiary has a mobility limitation that significantly impairs his/her ability to participate in one or more mobility-related activities of daily living (MRADL) in the home.   
  
A mobility limitation is one that:  

    1. Prevents the beneficiary from accomplishing the MRADL entirely, or

    2. Places the beneficiary at reasonably determined heightened risk of morbidity or mortality secondary to the attempts to perform the MRADL, or

    3. Prevents the beneficiary from completing the MRADL within a reasonable time frame; and

  2. The beneficiary is able to safely use the walker; and

  3. The functional mobility deficit can be sufficiently resolved with use of a walker.



If all of the criteria are not met, the walker will be denied as not
reasonable and necessary.  
  
A heavy duty walker (E0148, E0149) is covered for beneficiaries who meet
coverage criteria for a standard walker and who weigh more than 300 pounds. If
an E0148 or E0149 walker is provided and if the beneficiary weighs 300 pounds
or less, it will be denied as not reasonable and necessary.  
  
A heavy duty, multiple braking system, variable wheel resistance walker
(E0147) is covered for beneficiaries who meet coverage criteria for a standard
walker and who are unable to use a standard walker due to a severe neurologic
disorder or other condition causing the restricted use of one hand. Obesity,
by itself, is not a sufficient reason for an E0147 walker. If an E0147 walker
is provided and if the additional coverage criteria are not met, it will be
denied as not reasonable and necessary.  
  
The medical necessity for a walker with an enclosed frame (E0144) has not been
established. Therefore, if an enclosed frame walker is provided, it will be
denied as not reasonable and necessary.  
  
A walker with trunk support (E0140) is covered for beneficiaries who meet
coverage criteria for a standard walker and who have documentation in the
medical record justifying the medical necessity for the special features. If
an E0140 walker is provided and if the medical record does not document why
that item is medically necessary, it will be denied as not reasonable and
necessary.  
  
Leg extensions (E0158) are covered only for beneficiaries 6 feet tall or more.  
  
GENERAL

A Standard Written Order (SWO) must be communicated to the supplier before a
claim is submitted. If the supplier bills for an item addressed in this policy
without first receiving a completed SWO, the claim shall be denied as not
reasonable and necessary.

For Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics and Supplies (DMEPOS)
base items that require a Written Order Prior to Delivery (WOPD), the supplier
must have received a signed SWO before the DMEPOS item is delivered to a
beneficiary. If a supplier delivers a DMEPOS item without first receiving a
WOPD, the claim shall be denied as not reasonable and necessary. Refer to the
LCD-related Policy Article, located at the bottom of this policy under the
Related Local Coverage Documents section.

For DMEPOS base items that require a WOPD, and also require separately billed
associated options, accessories, and/or supplies, the supplier must have
received a WOPD which lists the base item and which may list all the
associated options, accessories, and/or supplies that are separately billed
prior to the delivery of the items. In this scenario, if the supplier
separately bills for associated options, accessories, and/or supplies without
first receiving a completed and signed WOPD of the base item prior to
delivery, the claim(s) shall be denied as not reasonable and necessary.

An item/service is correctly coded when it meets all the coding guidelines
listed in CMS HCPCS guidelines, LCDs, LCD-related Policy Articles, or DME MAC
articles. Claims that do not meet coding guidelines shall be denied as not
reasonable and necessary/incorrectly coded.

Proof of delivery (POD) is a Supplier Standard and DMEPOS suppliers are
required to maintain POD documentation in their files. Proof of delivery
documentation must be made available to the Medicare contractor upon request.
All services that do not have appropriate proof of delivery from the supplier
shall be denied as not reasonable and necessary.