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* | If you’re a Medicare beneficiary
with original Medicare, a supplier who takes “assignment” agrees to be paid directly by
Medicare, to accept the payment amount Medicare approves for the item, and not to bill
you for any more than the Medicare deductible and coinsurance. A supplier who doesn’t
take assignment may still help you file Medicare claims, but can charge prices for your
supplies (which you’ll need to pay up front) that may exceed Medicare approved payment
amounts. Then you’ll need to get reimbursed by Medicare, which may take typically 4 to 6
weeks, where the reimbursement will be based on Medicare approved payment
amounts. |
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| We know there are many other insurances besides (original) Medicare.
Supplier procedures can vary with different insurances, based on the supplier’s
relationship with a particular insurance provider. So it’s always best to check with a
potential supplier to find out how they would work with your insurance, and whether
there would be any problem obtaining the supplies you need. |
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** | The listed discount distributors
do not have relationships with any insurance providers; therefore, purchases made
from these suppliers will not be covered by insurance. However, these suppliers often
have the lowest prices and can be a good choice if you don’t have insurance, or in
other situations where you’re paying out-of-pocket and your purchase won’t be covered
by insurance. |
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*** | The major manufacturers (Hollister,
Coloplast, ConvaTec, etc.) do not sell directly to consumers, but will send free samples
of their products when requested. They also may have ostomy nurses on call, to provide
help over the phone. |
The operators of this OstomyOK website provide the listings on this page
as a public service and assume no responsibility for the integrity of any
companies listed here. Please note that many of the toll-free phone
numbers are usable only within the United States. Some companies have a
different toll-free number for use in Canada. Also note that these links
have been provided for free, so must not be regarded as advertisements.