Clinician Resources
Thank you for what you do!
We are happy to provide resources and support to help make submissions as easy as possible for you and your client. Please contact us with any questions!
We are pleased to offer the option of submitting for funding or reimbursement for a variety of payers through our partnership DME companies across the country. Many of our users have received funding through state Medicaid, waiver, or private insurance programs; however, reimbursement greatly varies by state and plan.
Obi is coded as E-1399-MISC Durable Medical Equipment. Medicare & Medicare supplements will not cover the cost of Obi at this time.
A successful submission typically requires:
- Client Tries Obi with Clinician Observation
- Appropriate Medical Documentation for Funding Source
- Documentation may include:
- Letter of Medical Necessity
- Letter of Intent from User/Client
- Videos and/ or Photos of Client Using Obi
- Doctor’s Prescription
- Chart Notes
- Other Documentation as Needed
INSURANCE SUBMISSION TOOLKIT: Contact us for an Obi Specific Letter Medical of Necessity, Observation of Use and other supporting documents to make your submission easier!
Submission Process Guide
Stage 1
SCHEDULING EVALUATION
- Contact Obi regarding a facility trial [Clinician or User/Client]
- Submit completed insurance intake form [Clinician or User/Client]
- Obi’s DME partner will assist with the trial and insurance submission process.*
- Schedule Obi trial /clinical evaluation. [Clinician]
Stage 2
EVALUATION AND MEDICAL DOCUMENTATION
- Document the clinical evaluation and gather chart notes. [Clinician]
- Take videos and/or photos of client using Obi [Clinician]
- Compose a Letter of Medical Necessity [Clinician]
- Compose Letter of Intent [User/Client/Caregiver]
- Obtain a doctor’s prescription for the device [User/Client]
- Submit these documents to the assigned DME partner [Clinician and User/Client]
Stage 3
FUNDING APPROVAL
- DME Partner will submit all necessary payer documents. [DME Partner]
- After DME company receives notification of the approval/denial, your DME partner will contact the patient to discuss the next steps. [DME Partner]
- If an appeal is necessary, contact Obi for support.
* After we receive the completed intake form, you will be assigned to a local DME partner. Please note that these partners are not direct representatives of Obi but are distributors of Obi. While we strive to provide excellent customer support, you may need to contact your DME representative for specific questions related to the insurance submission process. If at any time you need additional assistance, please do not hesitate to contact your Obi Customer Experience Associate.
Letter Of Medical Necessity Guidelines
If your patient’s funding source requires a Letter of Medical Necessity (LMN), please request our example Letter of Medical Necessity, which contains specific information about Obi as well as our other supporting documents!
SUMMARY OF POTENTIAL Benefits
The benefits of Obi may include:
Physical:
- Possible prevention of aspiration, heartburn, indigestion, acid in stomach and choking as a result of user having control over the food selection and pace of their meal.
- Users may manage their hunger and fullness better by deciding how much to eat.
- Possible increase in nutrition and caloric intake, leading to weight gain, which can be beneficial for many conditions.
- Possible increase in proper nutrition, which is fundamental for a healthy immune system and overall health and wellbeing.
- May help conserve energy for conditions that have low energy reserves through use of an aid for daily living.
- May minimizes the opportunity for close-contact transmission of infectious droplets between user and caregiver during feeding time.
Psychological:
- Possible increase in emotional and psychological sense of well-being as a result of increased independence and control over the vital activity of feeding oneself.
- May help promote a positive outlook and greater satisfaction with eating. Users often no longer view eating as something they must do, but now look forward to meals with their family and friends.
- May eliminate the conspicuousness and frustration of being fed by a caregiver.
Social:
- May increase social inclusion and participation during mealtime.
- Allows for more conventional meals with family and friends as opposed to being fed before, after or being disruptive to someone else’s meal.
- Allows for uninterrupted conversation and connection during mealtime.
- May increase interaction and communication with others.
REQUEST TO TRY OBI WITH A CLIENT
Try Obi and experience independent eating for yourself or with a client at your facility!
Trying Obi provides the perfect opportunity for clinicians to introduce Obi’s features to potential users and perform evaluations.
Through our extensive, nationwide distributor partnerships, we are pleased to offer facility trials and in-services for clinicians and their clients.*
*A request does not guarantee a trial or in-service will be approved. Due to high volume of requests, there are a few qualifications that must be met before your request is approved, which will be discussed after submitting a form.
