Yes. Since January 1, 2024, Medicare Part B covers compression garments and related supplies for people with lymphedema, whether it followed cancer treatment or surgery, or you've had it since you were young. If you were ever told Medicare didn't cover these, that used to be true, which is exactly why a lot of people are still paying out of pocket or going without. P&H fits and supplies these garments, and we verify your benefits to determine coverage and any out-of-pocket expenses.
The short version
- Covered: yes, since January 1, 2024
- What's covered: daytime and nighttime garments (ready-made and custom), wraps, bandaging, accessories
- What you need: a lymphedema diagnosis from your doctor, PA, or NP in your visitation notes, and a written order from your provider (a doctor or a physical therapist) that includes the affected area(s), laterality (left, right, or bilateral), specific garment recommendations, the desired compression level, whether it is custom or off-the-shelf, and that the garment is recommended to manage your lymphedema
- What you pay: with Traditional Medicare, 20% after your Part B deductible
Yes, and what changed
For years, Medicare had no benefit category for lymphedema compression garments, so people paid for them out of pocket or simply went without. That changed with the Lymphedema Treatment Act, which took effect on January 1, 2024 and created Medicare's first dedicated coverage for these supplies (Medicare.gov). For a lot of people, the old answer stuck. They asked once, heard no, and never asked again. If that's you, this is worth a second look, because the benefit is real and current.
What Medicare covers
Under Part B, coverage includes:
- Daytime compression garments, both ready-made and custom
- Nighttime compression garments
- Gradient compression wraps with adjustable straps
- Compression bandaging supplies
- Accessories like donning aids, lymph pads, comfort linings, and similar items
It applies to any part of the body affected by lymphedema, and it covers ready-made garments as well as custom, not one or the other (Medicare.gov, Noridian). Daytime and nighttime garments do different jobs, and Medicare covers both, so you're not forced to choose.
How often you can get new garments
Traditional Medicare allows up to 3 daytime garments or wraps per affected limb every 6 months, and up to 2 nighttime garments per affected limb every 2 years. That schedule exists because garments lose their stretch and their pressure over months of daily wear and washing, so they need replacing on a continual basis.
What you need to qualify
Two things: 1) Practitioner Visit Note: A physician, NP, or PA visit note documenting the lymphedema diagnosis, along with specific garment recommendations. The recommendations can come from a physical therapist's note, provided the physician, NP, or PA visit note documents the diagnosis. 2) A written order or prescription listing the specific garments being ordered.
The order and documentation must include the affected area(s) and laterality (left, right, or bilateral), specific garment recommendations, the desired compression level, whether the garment is custom or off-the-shelf, and that the garment is recommended to manage your lymphedema. If it's custom, it also has to say why a custom garment is required. The order can come from a doctor or a therapist.
Two examples of documentation that works well:
- Off-the-shelf: “Patient requires a left, thigh-high, 30-40 mmHg daytime compression garment to manage left, lower-extremity lymphedema.”
- Custom: “Patient requires custom, bilateral, below-knee, 20-30 mmHg compression garments to manage bilateral, lower extremity lymphedema. Custom garments are required because the patient’s limb dimensions fall outside available ready-made sizing.”
If this feels like a lot, we can point you to the Medicare documentation-requirements page, and we check that the order has what it needs before anything goes to your plan. [Link: Medicare documentation requirements]
What you'll pay
With Traditional Medicare, you're responsible for 20% of the cost after your Part B deductible, and there's no prior authorization for Traditional Medicare (Lymphedema Advocacy Group). What you actually pay depends on the garment(s) prescribed. We verify your benefits to determine your coverage and any out-of-pocket expenses before placing any orders.
If you have Medicare Advantage
Medicare Advantage plans have to cover what Traditional Medicare covers, so the benefit is there either way. What can differ is the details: the quantities, which suppliers are in-network, and whether the plan wants prior authorization first (Lymphedema Advocacy Group). If you're on an Advantage plan, those are the things to check. Give us your plan information and we'll verify it for you.
What this benefit does not cover
This coverage is specifically for lymphedema. Compression prescribed for a different reason on its own, like venous insufficiency without lymphedema, is handled under different rules and may not fall under this benefit (Noridian). That distinction matters, because a claim billed the wrong way gets denied. If you're not sure which situation applies to you, we can sort that out when we verify your benefits, so you know where you stand before anything is ordered.
For referring providers: referral vs. order
If you're referring a patient, here's the part worth getting right. The lymphedema diagnosis must come from a doctor (any doctor the patient sees), a PA, or an NP, not a therapist. The order and supporting documentation can come from a doctor or a therapist. To keep the claim clean and avoid the most common denials:
- Make sure there's a valid lymphedema diagnosis on file
- Stay within the frequency limits above
- Don't bill venous insufficiency under the lymphedema benefit, since that falls outside it (Noridian)
We handle the measuring, fitting, and documentation from there. You can refer a patient here.
A note on scope
This article is general information, not a guarantee of coverage. What Medicare or your plan pays depends on your diagnosis, your documentation, and your specific plan. P&H fits and supplies prescribed compression garments and verifies your benefits. We do not diagnose, and we do not decide your coverage. Your provider handles the medical side, and your plan sets your coverage.
How P&H helps, and your next step
We're a local fitter and supplier of custom and ready-made compression garments for the greater Central Texas region. We verify your benefits to determine your coverage and any out-of-pocket expenses, put together the documentation, fit you in the garment your clinician ordered, and help you reorder when it's time. Your clinician stays in charge of your diagnosis and your compression level. We handle the garment and the paperwork.
If you're a patient, you can verify your benefits with us here. If you're a provider, you can refer a patient here.
FAQ
Does Medicare cover compression garments for lymphedema?
Do I need to see a specialist?
How often can I get new garments?
What will I pay?
Does Medicare Advantage cover it?
How we put this together
We based this on current Medicare coverage information (Medicare.gov and the Noridian Medicare DME contractor, verified September 2026) and the Lymphedema Advocacy Group's coverage resources. P&H-specific details and required documentation wording were provided by P&H.
