PureWick stopped being covered by Medicare today. Thoughts?

This post is a most 18 months old

@cuffleer PLEASE remove your email from your post.
I am reporting the post hopefully it is removed. Do not put personal email on this or another site unless you private message someone.

The PureWick system is about $300 for the system with an option to buy a battery in case of power failure. The starter system is $525 which includes the system with a battery and a 30 day supply of catheters which cost $195 a month. Does Medicare cover the monthly catheters less 20%?

Hello Everyone,
Do you think the Pure Wick system would be a good choice for my 99 year old mother? We are turning her at night every 3 hours and will continue even if she uses the Pure Wick. It is expensive but willing to purchase it if it helps and prevents leakage. of urine.

No Medicare does not cover any longer. Medicare wants more clinical studies in order to fund such an expensive unit. The cost of the drainage system is $500 plus the catheters are about $200 every month using one a day and the price went up from$100. I just checked it out recently. I was about to get the unit but can't return if not satisfied if it is opened.

Medicare no longer covers Pure Wick. I recently checked into it. They did for awhile but found too expensive. Call the company and they will send you information. The external caths are over $100 per month for one a day. The drainage system is around is $300-$400.

Is this still available? I could use them...thank you.

I can relate to all the above! The Pure Wick works GREAT for mom. It's upsetting to see that they are still advertising this product to be covered by Medicare. PureWick
still has writeups online to get people to click on their AD. Medicare claims to cover an EXTERNAL, but is seems just for Men. Any other info is greatly appreciated.

Even more upsetting is that there are no EXTERNAL FEMALE Catheters covered by Medicare. They have Male ones, but not Female ones. Go Figure! Here, we have a GREAT product and it's not affordable for a fixed income. Not sure what to do.
Any advice, legal or not is greatly appreciated.

All - I have 1 sealed box of purewick external caths and 1 unsealed but full box. I want to give/donate them to someone. My mother passed away last year and the purewick system allowed her to deal with her situation gracefully up until the end. She would be so happy to know that someone else who needed them found some peace/joy. The box says they are good until 12/28/21 but I am sure they are fine for well after that. Please let me know if you would like these. I live on Long Island in NY. I would like to deliver these and not have to ship, but I will if I have to. Bless you all -

It’s very unfortunate that this is no longer being covered by Medicare. This product has been a game changer for my mom. She would wake up soaked with the highest absorbency adult briefs and her clothing and bed pad soaked and strong urine odor. Pure wick changed this. She was mostly dry and bed pad did not have to be changed daily and I did not have to do small loads of laundry every day. This also helps to keep skin intact, avoiding bedsores which are unfortunately the result of incontinence and decreased mobility. Liberator medical supply company gave a discounted price after Medicare decided they were not covering it which made it affordable for my mom to continue using it but that discount is no longer available when I called today to reorder. At $195 per month plus having to replace tubing and container every 60 days this is now not an affordable option for someone on a fixed income. This product was originally invented by a man taking care of his bedridden wife. I suppose we need to look into some type of home made contraption similar to what that man did to solve the problems associated with incontinence for his wife. I don’t understand why they can’t continue to offer the discounted pricing or have a program available for people on a limited fixed income.

We must find out who to contact - this is unacceptable!!! We must start a petition or like "voice" The wiki alone will be $199 a month and that is out of hand.

I heard you have until 8/1? I just found out this week it would not be covered (we have been out of pocket since 2019). It is because Medicare is requesting more “proof” of its necessity. I think it took them like 5 years to get approved in early 2021.
when I purchased the old system it was $500 and when they sent me the new system in 2021 it was considered upgrading so I did not have to pay full replacement to upgrade. The wicks are 195 for 30 - I usually go through 60/80 as we use at least two a day when mom is in bed.
I don’t know if it would help to write or question Medicare.
We were not able to get them under Medicare yet as we were with home health and they are not covered until home health and therapies were completed so I have been paying for them since 2019. I’m disgusted for you and others. It helps protect moms skin so much and should be afforded to the many bedridden and disabled who cannot get to a toilet easy. It is a disgrace that preventive care is not covered or that you need stage 4/5 bedsores to have things covered.
I don’t know anything else to tell you other than if there is anyway people in your family and friends could pitch in and help you cover the pump system and even use it only overnight (meaning less wicks needed) I would highly recommend the system. I do hope something is reversed for you and the sake of those in need of it. 🙏🏼🤞🏼

That is too bad. My mother used it in the hospital and worked very well. Medicare is not covering medical supplies like they used to. They cut down my moms ostomy supplies and retail is very expensive. I buy a box once in occasionally when running low.