Hospice Durable Medical Equipment (DME) is billed by a supplier to the hospice agency, not directly to Medicare.
The hospice agency is responsible for paying the supplier for all equipment related to the patient's terminal illness, as this cost is covered by the daily hospice payment it receives from Medicare. The daily per diem rate the hospice receives from Medicare is intended to cover all costs, including DME related to the terminal illness.
Durable Medical Equipment, Oxygen, Etc. The hospice pays for all durable medical equipment (DME), prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies while the patient is in the hospice program.
Medicare Part B is responsible only if the item was prescribed for a diagnosis completely unrelated to the terminal illness. This is true even when the patient was renting equipment or purchasing supplies prior to the hospice coverage.
Helpful Resources:
https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/durable-medical-equipment-dme-coverage
https://www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/Guidance/Manuals/Downloads/clm104c20.pdf