Oct 262011
 

Medicare eligible patients that have Medicare Part B coverage are eligible for help in paying for “prosthesis” or “prosthetics.” What is a prosthesis? It is an artificial limb to replace one that a patient may have lost through either an accident or a surgical necessity.


A patient may need to have a limb amputated when any number of conditions warrants it. For instance, a person with a diabetic condition may develop chronic infections or circulatory problems to a foot or leg. In these cases amputation may save the person’s life.

If you have had an amputation, an artificial arm or prosthetic leg may serve multiple purposes. First, it may provide comfort in that it can provide a cosmetic improvement. Second, it may provide increases function. This is particularly the case with an artificial leg or foot, as it will allow a patient mobility. Generally, the more active a patient can feel after the loss of a limb, the healthier the patient can be.

Medicare Part B will generally pay 80% of the approved cost of the covered prosthetic, with the Medicare eligible person paying the remaining 20%. But that 20 percent coinsurance payment can be very high. How much does a prosthetic leg cost? A lot. With a Medicare Supplement plan, the cost can be further decreased, as the supplement plan would help pay for this (hopefully) one time expense.