Dealing with Rehab Hospital Issue

Dealing with Rehab Hospital Issue

Randy Duncan

7/9/2009

Hello list,
 
I recently fit a walking boot (L4386) on a patient during a Part A Medicare
stay at a rehab hospital for which the hospital paid. The patient was told
by the hospital administrator that once she got home she would need to get
her own boot and return the one paid for by hospital under Part A benefits.
They told her she would have to make her own arrangements to obtain a new
boot. This seems highly unusual, if not wasteful and illegal for them to
do. Has anyone encountered this problem, or can point me to language that
demonstrates this as an illegal practice? I just need something to throw
(figuratively) back at the hospital so they will leave this lady alone. I
already explained that the boot couldn't be used on other people, and the
reply was basically we paid for it so it is ours. Nice.
 
Any help is appreciated.
 
Thanks,
Randy Duncan, CPO
214-803-1108