Medicare clarified support surface policies and coverage requirements.

Before providers order pressure-reducing support surfaces for Medicare beneficiaries, they should obtain and read (1) the LCD and attached articles that pertain to their DME MAC jurisdiction and (2) the Special Edition SE1014 educational article released by the Medicare Learning Network of CMS. Providers should be sure that the patient's medical record contains the required order (including the dated and signed physician order) and documentation that proves medical necessity for the support surface ordered. The OIG report has identified that a large percentage of medical records are deficient in this area. Now CMS has provided special education about their order, coverage, and documentation requirements. The OIG report and the CMS educational article should serve as a warning that audits on this topic are likely. Providers should take time to review the pressure-reducing support documents and immediately refine their support surface ordering and documentation.