One of the ways in which those interested in helping a mother both safeguard her health and embark on her breastfeeding journey is by becoming a DME supplier and providing her with the pump she needs to ensure a steady and plentiful milk supply for her baby. There are several steps to be completed before a breast pump can be supplied as durable medical equipment by a supplier. For example, the pump needs to be prescribed, insurance notified and more. Limerick have looked previously at what a pump's designation as DME means, and today we'll be following that up with information on how to become a breast pump DME supplier, and start providing women with one of the most important tools that they need immediately after childbirth. Let's get started!
How to become a breast pump DME supplier
What kind of DME do you want to be?
Before looking into how to become a breast pump DME supplier, you first need to decide what kind of supplier you intend to be. Right now, there are two different kinds of DME suppliers to choose from, covering two different markets.
DME Wholesalers
A DME wholesaler supplies DME to a third-party vendor or other retailer, who then sell on to the end user. These other retailers may be pharmacies, grocery stores, specialist retail stores etc.
DME Retailers
A DME retailer supplies DME directly to the end user.
How to become a breast pump DME supplier
Applying to become a DME Supplier - A step by step breakdown
- Step 1: Apply for accreditation
- Step 2: Get an NPI number
- Step 3: Enroll as a DME supplier with CMS & pay the application fee
- Step 4: Post a surety bond
- Step 5: Enroll for Medicare billing privileges
How to become a breast pump DME supplier
Step 1: Apply for accreditation
The best way to start your journey to being a breast pump DME supplier is by obtaining DMEPOS accreditation. This can be obtained through a CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) approved accreditation organization, who will perform regular unannounced checks and visits to your premises in order to ensure your compliance with the required DMEPOS quality standards.
How to become a breast pump DME supplier
Step 2: Get an NPI
The next step is to get an NPI (National Provider Identifier). An NPI is a unique number used to identify your business, and it is required for you to participate in HIPAA Standard Transactions. It's a ten-digit number that does not change even if the medical equipment you deliver to patients does. This number must be used to identify your business in HIPAA Standard Transactions, so until you have this number in place, your business will not be able to interact effectively with the wider healthcare system or provide a complete service.
How to become a breast pump DME supplier
Step 3: Enroll as a DME Supplier with CMS and pay the application fee
Once you have your DME supplier license in hand, it's time to enroll as a DME supplier with CMS. This can be done through PECOS (Patient Eligibility Center Online System). PECOS has its own user support documentation and tutorials, and it will walk you through the enrollment process to ensure that it is done correctly. Once the enrollment process is complete, it's time to pay the Medicare application fee. In 2022 this fee was $631.
How to become a breast pump DME supplier
Step 4: Post a surety bond
At this point, prospective DME suppliers must post a surety bond. This is an amount of money that helps to provide accountability for DME suppliers and prevent fraudulent Medicare claims. The bond must have a coverage amount of $50,000, and each individual NPI that a business registers (for instance if they operate from multiple locations) must post its own $50,000 bond. An amount of that bond will typically be payable up front before you can begin doing business with Medicare patients as an approved supplier.
How to become a breast pump DME supplier
Step 5: Enroll for Medicare billing privileges
f you intend to sell DME to Medicaid beneficiaries, then your next step is enrolling for Medicaid billing privileges. This step is optional, since it is possible to opt out of Medicaid if you prefer. However, if you do elect to enroll in accordance with the following provisions:
If you sell DME to Medicaid beneficiaries:
You must register in each state where you will be dispensing equipment.
If you bill Medicaid directly for DME:
You must register in each state where you will be dispensing equipment AND enroll as a Medicaid provider in the states where you operate.
If you intend to bill a beneficiary's insurance plan for DME:
You must enroll in the CMS Medicare/Medicaid Provider-Supplier system.
How to become a breast pump DME supplier
More about Limerick's breastfeeding support
The Limerick team provide expert breastfeeding advice and support in a number of ways. There are of course the support resources and other documentation available via our resource center - such as a user guide for each of our pumps. Our hospital-grade electric closed-system pumps themselves can be bought directly from the Limerick shop, while elsewhere on our website you'll also find pages explaining the benefits of our pumps for moms and new parents, for corporate stakeholders, and for healthcare professionals.