Yes, Medicare covers dialysis for inpatient, outpatient and home treatment. Part B pays for a bundle of services from your dialysis facility, ranging from nursing care to equipment, supplies, medicine, training, and more. If you qualify for Medicare due to having End Stage Renal Disease, be sure to sign up for both Medicare Part A and Part B to receive the full dialysis benefits available to you.
Dialysis at a Facility
Medicare Part A covers inpatient dialysis treatments while Part B covers treatment at outpatient facilities along with doctor services. The services you receive as part of dialysis care come in a bundle and will not be billed separately.
Part B pays for direct nursing services from licensed healthcare workers; equipment and supplies for renal dialysis; injectable, intravenous and some oral drugs used to treat or manage conditions for your End Stage Renal Disease; laboratory tests; home dialysis training at a Medicare-certified facility; and other items and services during or associated with your dialysis treatment.
If you plan to travel within the U.S., speak with your facility to plan your dialysis treatments along your route.
Home Dialysis Coverage
With approval from your doctor, you and your support person can be trained to perform at-home dialysis treatments by a Medicare-certified home dialysis training facility. Part B will cover equipment and supplies for your at-home dialysis treatments, including the dialysis machine, water treatment system, a basic recliner, sterile drapes, rubber gloves, scissors, and more. Medicare also covers support systems from your dialysis facility, including home visits from providers, equipment checks, and monthly doctor visits.
Importantly, the timing of when you begin a regular course of dialysis treatments impacts your Medicare coverage start date. People who are not already Medicare beneficiaries can qualify for Medicare coverage with ESRD if they meet certain conditions. If you are approved for and appropriately trained for at-home dialysis treatments, you can begin to receive Medicare coverage during your first month of treatment, instead of your fourth month of a regular course of dialysis treatments at an outpatient facility.
Your Costs for Dialysis with Medicare
For inpatient dialysis services, you will pay the costs for Part A inpatient stays. This includes your Part A deductible, coinsurance and copayments for each benefit period.
You will pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount for covered services under Medicare Part B. Home dialysis training will include an additional fee for doctor supervision, which you pay 20% of the cost for once you have met your Part B deductible.
You must continue to pay your Part A and Part B premiums to benefit from Medicare dialysis coverage.
Extensive treatment plans with high anticipated healthcare costs can narrow down your Medicare plan options. To find coverage you can afford or for a Supplement to make this manageable, speak with the team at Magellan Healthcare.
