Home Care & Pneumatic Compression Machines

Pneumatic compression machines are used to decrease excess swelling and increase circulation. These devices are typically applied to the legs and are frequently used in a hospital setting. Sometimes a compression machine is needed after the patient is discharged home from the hospital; they can be provided with home health care services.

Pneumatic Compression Device

• A pneumatic compression device consists of a machine that produces air pressure that runs through tubes attached to full- or half-length leg wraps. A pneumatic compression machine can be segmented -- consisting of multiple outflow ports -- or non-segmented, with one outflow port. The leg wraps are secured by Velcro and inflate and deflate at an adjustable rate. They are worn several times per day for an amount of time prescribed by the patient's doctor. Some patients are required to wear compression wraps any time they are lying down or during the night while they sleep.

Deep Vein Thrombosis

• Deep vein thrombosis, or DVT, is a blood clot that usually forms in a leg vein due to decreased blood circulation. DVT can develop after surgery from prolonged positioning or lengthy bed rest due to illness. These clots are dangerous because they can dislodge and travel to the patient's lungs and ultimately cause death. A pneumatic compression machine decreases the risk of DVT by squeezing the legs, helping the blood to circulate back to the heart.

Insurance Coverage

• Pneumatic compression machines are often prescribed with nursing and rehabilitative home care services when patients leave the hospital. Most insurance companies consider these units to be durable medical equipment, or DME, and will cover the rental cost if they determine that the machine is medically necessary. Coverage varies by insurance company and might be limited to a specific body part only -- for example, Medicare will not pay for pneumatic machines applied to the chest or trunk, but will pay for treatment of the legs.

Medical Necessity

• Patients require a particular medical diagnosis to be assigned by their doctor before a pneumatic compression machine is dispensed. In addition, there are other treatments that must be tried before the machine is considered to be medically necessary. These include periods of elevation, compression wrapping, diuretic medications and exercise or rehabilitation therapies.