COMMODE CHAIR, EXTRA WIDE AND/OR HEAVY DUTY, STATIONARY OR MOBILE, WITH OR WITHOUT ARMS, ANY TYPE, EACH
Long description on the CMS LCD code table, this read.
Data read from the CMS Coverage API on 2026-10-13. The LCD version is the current final DME MAC LCD on that read. Text below is quoted from those CMS documents. Nothing here is a coverage rule Verzi wrote.
Coverage, in CMS's words
Local coverage indication
The beneficiary is confined to the home and there are no toilet facilities in the home. An extra wide/heavy duty commode chair (E0168) is covered for a beneficiary who weighs 300 pounds or more. If an E0168 commode is ordered and the beneficiary does not weigh more than 300 pounds, it will be denied as not reasonable and necessary.
Excerpt from LCD L33736 version 20, effective 01/01/2020. CMS LCD L33736.
Version 20. CMS effective date 01/01/2020. CMS updated 02/13/2020. Contractors on the CMS report: CGS Administrators (DME MAC) and Noridian Healthcare Solutions (DME MAC).
CMS coverage policy citation on the LCD. CMS Publication 100-03 Medicare National Coverage Determinations Manual, Chapter 1, Section 280.1
NCD 280.1 · Durable Medical Equipment Reference List
Current version on the CMS national report: 4. Effective date 06/09/2025. Benefit category: Durable Medical Equipment. The LCD lists related NCD version 1. The excerpt on this page, when present, is version 4.
In addition to policy specific documentation requirements, there are general documentation requirements that are applicable to all DMEPOS policies. These general requirements are located in the DOCUMENTATION REQUIREMENTS section of the LCD. Refer to the LCD-related Standard Documentation Requirements article, located at the bottom of this Policy Article under the Related Local Coverage Documents section for additional information regarding GENERAL DOCUMENTATION REQUIREMENTS and the POLICY SPECIFIC DOCUMENTATION REQUIREMENTS discussed below. The diagnosis code that justifies the need for these items must be included on the claim. KX, GA, GY, AND GZ
From A55426, Standard Documentation Requirements for All Claims Submitted to DME MACs
GENERAL There are numerous CMS manual requirements, reasonable and necessary (R&N) requirements, benefit category, and other statutory and regulatory requirements that must be met in order for payment to be justified. In the event of a claim review, a DMEPOS supplier must provide sufficient information to demonstrate that the applicable criteria have been met thus justifying payment. Before submitting a claim to Medicare, the DMEPOS supplier must have on file an SWO, a WOPD (if applicable), information from the treating practitioner concerning the patient's diagnosis, and any information required for the use of specific
If an E0168 commode is ordered and the beneficiary does not weigh more than 300 pounds, it will be denied as not reasonable and necessary. Source: L33736
If the supplier bills for an item addressed in this policy without first receiving a completed SWO, the claim shall be denied as not reasonable and necessary. Source: L33736
If a supplier delivers a DMEPOS item without first receiving a WOPD, the claim shall be denied as not reasonable and necessary. Source: L33736
In this scenario, if the supplier separately bills for associated options, accessories, and/or supplies without first receiving a completed and signed WOPD of the base item prior to delivery, the claim(s) shall be denied as not reasonable and necessary. Source: L33736
Get the signed answer via API
The signed answer is the receipt for this code on a date of service: the rule that was in force, with a hash you can replay. The call needs an API key. The source archive and as-of resolution are public.
The current DME MAC LCD L33736, Commodes, version 20, effective 01/01/2020.
Which National Coverage Determination applies to E0168?
NCD 280.1, Durable Medical Equipment Reference List, version 4, is the current national document related from the LCD.
What denial language does CMS publish for E0168?
If an E0168 commode is ordered and the beneficiary does not weigh more than 300 pounds, it will be denied as not reasonable and necessary.
How do I get a signed answer for E0168?
Request a free API key and call the signed-answer endpoint with the HCPCS code, a date of service, the supplier NPI, and a state. The response is a receipt for the published rule on that date, not a guarantee of payment.