If you’re living with Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS) and managing wounds at home using store-bought bandages, gauze, or whatever gets you through the day, there’s something you need to know.
HidraWear, the only wound care system designed specifically for Hidradenitis Suppurativa, may be covered by your Medicare or Medicaid plan.
HidraWear qualifies as Durable Medical Equipment (DME) — a category of medically prescribed products for home use that most government insurance plans cover as a standard benefit. You just need to know how to access it.
Jump to:
- What is Durable Medical Equipment (DME)?
- Does Medicaid Cover HidraWear?
- Does Medicare Cover HidraWear?
- What Medicare Part B Covers
- Who Can Prescribe HidraWear?
- How to Get HidraWear: Step by Step
- Common Questions
- Why HS Wound Care Needs to Be Medical Grade
- Check Your Coverage — It’s Free
What is Durable Medical Equipment (DME)?
Durable Medical Equipment is a category of medical products a licensed physician can prescribe for home use. To qualify as DME, a product must:
- Serve a medical purpose — not just comfort or convenience
- Be used in the home
- Be prescribed by a doctor
- Not be useful to someone without a medical condition
Wheelchairs, hospital beds, and oxygen equipment are common examples of DME. What most people don’t realise is that specialised wound care products — including HidraWear — also qualify.
Does Medicaid Cover HidraWear for HS Wound Care?
In most states, yes. Most state Medicaid programs cover medically necessary DME, including wound care products, with little or no copay.
Does Medicare Cover HidraWear for HS Wound Care?
Yes, in most cases, Medicare Part B covers HidraWear when your doctor certifies it is medically necessary.
What Medicare Part B Covers
Medicare Part B covers DME prescribed for home use, including:
- HidraWear Super Absorbent Dressings — up to 30 dressings per wound area per month
- HidraWear Foam Dressings — soft, thin dressings for moderate drainage
- HidraWear Garments — Crop Tops, T-Shirts and Boxer Briefs that hold dressings in place without adhesive
- Wound Cleansers — specialised solutions for keeping HS wounds clean
Who Can Prescribe HidraWear?
Any licensed healthcare provider with prescribing authority can complete your HidraWear prescription. This could be your:
- Family doctor
- Primary Care Provider/Physician (PCP)
- Wound care specialist
- Advanced nurse practitioner
- Dermatologist
- Plastic surgeon
How to Get HidraWear Through Medicare or Medicaid: Step by Step
The process is simpler than most people expect.
Step 1 — Talk to your doctor
Tell your doctor about your HS wounds and how you’ve been managing them. Ask directly: “Am I a candidate for Durable Medical Equipment for wound care?”
Your physician needs to prescribe the DME for your insurance to cover it.
Step 2 — Get a prescription
Your doctor documents the medical necessity — explaining to your insurer why you need these products. The more clinical detail provided, the smoother the approval. If your doctor isn’t familiar with HS wound care DME, you can share our clinician information page with them.
Step 3 — Work with a DME supplier
Your doctor sends the prescription to a DME supplier, who handles insurance verification, obtains any required pre-authorisations, and ships your HidraWear directly to your home. A good DME supplier navigates the process for you — you shouldn’t have to deal with the insurance paperwork alone.
Step 4 — Receive HidraWear at home
Your wound care products arrive with instructions for use. Orders typically cover 90 days of product, reorderable monthly during that period.
Step 5 — Follow up with your doctor
After 90 days, follow up with your doctor so they can monitor progress and renew your prescription if needed. Many patients see meaningful improvement within weeks of switching from improvised supplies to HidraWear.
Common Questions About Medicare and Medicaid Coverage for HS Wound Care
Can I get HidraWear on Medicaid if I’ve never been officially diagnosed with HS?
Your physician needs to document medical necessity, which typically requires a diagnosis. If you haven’t been formally diagnosed, speak to your GP or dermatologist first. A diagnosis opens the door to prescribed wound care — and a lot of other treatment options too.
What if my Medicare or Medicaid claim is denied?
Don’t give up. Many denials are due to incomplete paperwork rather than actual ineligibility, and they can be appealed. A good DME supplier will support you through the appeals process. A first “no” is often not the final answer.
I’m on both Medicare and Medicaid — does dual coverage help?
Yes. If you qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid (sometimes called “dual eligibility”), your out-of-pocket costs are often reduced further, and Medicaid may cover costs that Medicare doesn’t. Speak to your DME supplier about how dual coverage applies to your specific plan.
My doctor doesn’t know much about HS wound care. What should I do?
You can share our clinician information page directly with your healthcare provider. It gives physicians and nurses the clinical context they need to prescribe appropriately for HS patients.
How long does it take to receive HidraWear after my prescription is submitted?
In most cases, HidraWear can be delivered within a few days to two weeks, depending on insurance verification and any pre-authorisation requirements. If your wound situation is urgent, ask your DME supplier about expedited options.
I’ve been managing fine with what I have. Why would I switch?
If your wound is healing well, that’s great. But if it’s slow to heal, keeps reopening, leaking, or requires daily attention — you deserve better than improvised care. There’s no downside to asking your doctor whether you qualify. Checking is free.
Why Hidradenitis Suppurativa Wound Care Needs to Be Medical Grade
Many people living with HS have spent years managing wounds with whatever they could find — sanitary pads, gauze, pharmacy bandages. There’s no shame in that. When you don’t know other options exist, you do the best you can.
But the gap between store-bought supplies and medical-grade wound care is significant.
HS wounds develop in some of the most challenging areas of the body to dress — underarms, groin, buttocks, under the breasts. Standard dressings weren’t designed for these locations. They fall off, leak, and can damage already fragile skin every time they’re removed.
HidraWear was designed specifically for HS — by someone who lives with it. Its garment-based retention system holds dressings securely in place without any adhesive contact with the skin, eliminating one of the most painful and damaging aspects of standard HS wound care.
Check Your Coverage — It’s Free
The most common thing we hear from patients after they access Medicare or Medicaid-covered wound care is:
“I wish I’d known about this sooner.”
Checking your coverage costs nothing and takes one phone call. Contact your insurance provider and ask:
👉 “Does my plan cover wound care Durable Medical Equipment for Hidradenitis Suppurativa?”
Or speak to your doctor at your next appointment and ask whether you’re a candidate for DME.
You don’t have to keep improvising.
