CMS Pub. 100-02, ch. 1, § 40

A3-3101.4, HO-210.4

Supplies, appliances, and equipment, which are ordinarily furnished by the hospital for

the care and treatment of the beneficiary solely during the inpatient hospital stay, are

covered inpatient hospital services.

Under certain circumstances, supplies, appliances, and equipment used during the

beneficiary's inpatient stay are covered under Part A even though the supplies, appliances

and equipment leave the hospital with the patient upon discharge. These are

circumstances in which it would be unreasonable or impossible from a medical

standpoint to limit the patient's use of the item to the periods during which the individual

is an inpatient. Examples of items covered under this rule are:

• Items permanently installed in or attached to the patient's body while an inpatient,

such as cardiac valves, cardiac pacemakers, and artificial limbs; and

• Items which are temporarily installed in or attached to the patient's body while an

inpatient, and which are also necessary to permit or facilitate the patient's release

from the hospital, such as tracheotomy or drainage tubes.

Hospital “admission packs” containing primarily toilet articles, such as soap,

toothbrushes, toothpaste, and combs, are covered under Part A if routinely furnished by

the hospital to all its inpatients. If not routinely furnished to all patients, the packs are not

covered. In that situation, the hospital may charge beneficiaries for the pack, but only if

they request it with knowledge of what they are requesting and what the charge to them

will be.

Supplies, appliances, and equipment furnished to an inpatient for use only outside the

hospital are not, in general, covered as inpatient hospital services. However, a temporary

or disposable item, which is medically necessary to permit or facilitate the patient's

departure from the hospital and is required until the patient can obtain a continuing

supply, is covered as an inpatient hospital service.

Oxygen furnished to hospital inpatients is covered under Part A as an inpatient supply.