What is durable medical equipment?

Durable medical equipment, or DME, means reusable medical devices intended for repeated use at home, such as walkers, wheelchairs, hospital beds and oxygen equipment.

Do I need a prescription to buy home medical equipment?

Some items are sold over the counter, while others, especially equipment a plan may help pay for, require a prescription or documented medical need. Confirm with the supplier and plan.

How is coverage for home medical equipment decided?

Coverage depends on the plan, the medical need and the item, and often requires documentation and an approved supplier. Confirm your specific benefit directly with the plan.

AliMedix

Reference directory

A plain index of home medical equipment topics

Start from the area you need. Every entry is a short, source-attributed explainer on choosing, using and paying for equipment at home. General information, not medical advice.

Start here

Not sure where to begin?

The Home Equipment Finder asks a few short questions and returns an honest shortlist of equipment categories to discuss with a clinician or supplier. It runs privately in your browser.

Open the Equipment Finder →