Standard Documentation Requirements for All Claims Submitted to DME MACs

Medicare requires a Standard Written Order (SWO) on file for all DMEPOS purchases and rentals to justify payment; SWOs must include beneficiary identifier, order date, item description (HCPCS or brand), quantity, treating practitioner name/NPI, and a compliant handwritten signature. Items on CMS's Required List (including PMDs) also require a face-to-face encounter and a Written Order Prior to Delivery (WOPD) completed within six months of the encounter; suppliers must retain documentation for seven years and produce SWO/WOPD and supporting contemporaneous medical records upon request or face claim denial or liability.

"All claims for purchases or rentals of DMEPOS to Medicare Part B beneficiaries require a Standard Written Order (SWO) from the treating practitioner as a condition for payment."

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