HOME MEDICAL EQUIPMENT (HME)
Home medical equipment is used for patients when their care is managed from a home or other private facility by a nonprofessional caregiver or family member.
It is also referred to as “durable” medical equipment (DME) since it is intended to withstand repeated use by non-professionals or the patient in the home.
The following acronyms are used to describe home medical equipment in the medical and insurance industries:
- DME: Durable Medical Equipment
- HME: Home Medical Equipment
- DMEPOS: Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics and Supplies
Home medical equipment is typically covered by a patient’s healthcare insurance, including Medicare (Part B). A patient must have a doctor’s prescription for most home medical equipment to be reimbursed by insurance.
The State of Florida requires a license for HME sales under the AHCA (Agency for Health Care Administration). In Florida, it is unlawful to own, operate, or maintain a home medical equipment business without a current valid license. Florida Orthopaedic Institute has HME licenses for the following locations:
- Brandon
- Citrus Park
- South Tampa
- Sun City
- North Tampa
- Wesley Chapel