Medicare coverage · Urology
Does Medicare cover intermittent catheters?
Short answer: Yes — Medicare Part B covers sterile intermittent catheters under the prosthetic device benefit, usually up to 200 per month, for people who need catheterization due to permanent urinary retention or a neurogenic bladder.
Source: CMS DME MAC LCD L33803 (rev. 2026).
Coverage information verified against Medicare (CMS) sources · Last updated July 2026. Educational information, not medical advice — talk with your physician about what's right for you.
Who qualifies?
Medicare covers this when your records show all of the following. Your prescriber's documentation is what establishes each point:
- You have permanent urinary retention or a neurogenic bladder (for example from spinal cord injury, MS, or another condition) requiring intermittent catheterization.
- Your treating provider has ordered intermittent catheters as medically necessary.
- A coudé-tip catheter requires documentation of why a straight tip won't work.
Not sure if you qualify?
Check your Medicare coverage in one step, or talk to an intake specialist. We verify your benefits and coordinate the order with your prescriber — no cost or commitment to check.
What Medicare covers
- Usually up to 200 sterile intermittent catheters per month, plus lubricant when a non-lubricated catheter is used.
- A sterile catheter kit is covered when you meet an additional criterion (e.g., nursing-facility resident, immunosuppression including spinal cord injury, documented vesico-ureteral reflux, or 2+ urinary tract infections in the past year on a non-kit program).
- Medicare Part B generally pays 80% of the Medicare-approved amount after you meet the annual Part B deductible; the remaining share is your responsibility (or a secondary plan's, such as Medicaid or a supplement).
Coverage details and amounts are set by CMS and can change each year. We confirm your current, specific coverage before anything is ordered.
See urological supplies we provideCommon questions
How many catheters does Medicare cover per month?+
Usually up to 200 sterile intermittent catheters per month. Higher amounts require documentation of medical necessity from your provider.
Does Medicare cover closed-system catheter kits?+
Yes, when you meet one of Medicare's additional criteria — such as living in a nursing facility, being immunosuppressed, documented reflux, or recurrent urinary tract infections on a non-kit program. We can check which applies to you.
What do I need to get started?+
Your treating provider's order and documentation that you meet the criteria above. Start the eligibility check or call an agent — we confirm your benefits and coordinate the order and paperwork with your prescriber's office. There's no cost or commitment to check.
Have a question?
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