Medicare expands coverage of lymphoedema devices
This article was originally published in Clinica
Executive Summary
Medicare, the federal health plan for the elderly and disabled, is to expand its coverage of pneumatic compression devices used to treat patients with lymphoedema. The new coverage policy eliminates language that makes compression pumps the treatment of last resort for beneficiaries suffering from lymphoedema, which is an accumulation of lymphatic fluid causing abnormal swelling of the arms, legs, breast, neck or head that often develops when lymph nodes are removed during surgery. Breast cancer is the most common cause of the condition in the US.