How do you obtain DME (Durable Medical Equipment) for Brian? 

1. Call Dr. Stark’s office and fax the list to them.
   
   

2. (Correct) Give the list to your hospital social worker who will request the equipment under the hospital attending physician’s Texas medical license number.
   
   

3. Give the list to your hospital social worker who will contact Dr. Stark’s office asking permission to obtain DME under his Texas medical license number.
   
   

4. Fax the list to the Medicaid Managed Care office so they can appoint a case manager to obtain the DME.

As long as Brian is in the hospital, the hospital team can authorize DME (Durable Medical Equipment).  Once a patient is discharged, if he has a PCP (Primary Care Physician) then DME is obtained using the PCP medical license.  Since supplies are obtained under the PCP's prescribing authority it is a good idea to start communicating as soon as the PCP is determined.  Dr. Stark is not likely to have a social worker in his office, and his local hospital social worker will not be able to provide services on outpatients.  Your hospital social worker can continue to assist Brian, unless Dr. Stark identifies another case manager who will keep DME requests current.  

An alternative approach in some practices might be for Dr. Stark's nurse to complete and fax equipment request to the Medicaid vendor, but that is unusual, especially as long as Brain will continue to receive a part of his care from the Children's Restorative Care Team.  In reality, most PCP's are extremely grateful if they can continue to obtain services from the social worker who is familiar with the child

Brian's mother has requested information on how to obtain the needed equipment.  In most cases the Medicaid Managed Care Organization will have a contract with a vendor of medical supplies who will deliver the equipment to the family's home.  If Brian needs infant formula these can be obtained through WIC (Women, Infant and Children).  WIC is a federally-subsidized nutritional support program with fairly generous income guidelines.  

Specialty items such as high calorie tube feedings must be ordered from a medical supply company, and are delivered to the home.

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