Is a generator covered by Medicare in Wisconsin? A nephrologist from West Virginia states that Medicare covers generators and they wrote orders in that state.
From the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services website:
[I]Question: Will CMS cover the cost of a generator for medical needs?
Answer: Although a generator may be used to power durable medical equipment, it is not, nor can it be considered to be, medical equipment. By law, Medicare does not have the authority to pay for generators.[/I]
The backup plan for home HD patients who lose power is either to rearrange dialysis days/times or go to a facility for in-center HD. If a patient is on PD and normally uses a cycler, when power is off, he/she can do manual exchanges (CAPD).
If a patient wants to buy a generator to assure that he/she can do dialysis as usual, he/she should contact the IRS or a tax advisor and ask whether the cost is deductible as a medical expense for taxes. Even though CMS does not consider it medical equipment, it allows necessary medical equipment to operate.