Requires Group and Individual Plans to Provide Durable Medical Equipment (DME) Coverage and Removes Benefit Limits on DME
This year, California Assemblymember Wesley Chesbro (D—Arcata) introduced AB 214, which would require private group and individual health plans to cover Durable Medical Equipment (DME) and to do so without limiting the annual DME benefit. (Many private health plans in California now limit DME coverage to around $2000 annually.) DME can change the lives of people with disabilities by fostering independence, self reliance and community participation, reducing or eliminating preventable pain, and warding off additional disabilities. When such equipment cannot be obtained, people with disabilities can face increased medical problems, a loss of autonomy, and confinement in their homes or even in institutions. If you live in California and have had problems acquiring needed DME because your private health plan limits your annual benefit or your plan does not offer DME coverage at all, we would like to hear from you.
We’ve created a brief survey on the Survey Monkey website to collect information about DME coverage. Our experience has been that Survey Monkey has made its survey tool accessible, but if you have any difficulty accessing or using the survey, please contact us at info@dredf.org to let us know.