Glossary / Proof of delivery
Proof of delivery Medicare DME termProof of delivery
The signed record that a specific item reached a specific beneficiary on a specific date; required for every DME claim and kept for 7 years.
Proof of delivery (POD) is the documentation showing that the beneficiary received the billed item. It is a Medicare supplier standard (42 CFR 424.57(c)(12)) and one of the elements reviewers check on every DME claim. CMS's Program Integrity Manual and the DME MAC Standard Documentation Requirements article require suppliers to keep POD on file for 7 years from the date of service and to produce it on request.
The DME MACs recognize three delivery methods. For direct delivery, the POD is a delivery slip with the beneficiary's name, the delivery address, a description of the item, the quantity, the date delivered, and the beneficiary's or designee's signature. For a shipping or delivery service, the supplier's records must link to the carrier's tracking (package ID or invoice number) and carry the same identifying details plus evidence of delivery. For a nursing facility, the supplier's records are paired with the facility's documentation that the beneficiary received and used the item.
The date of service on the claim is the date of delivery unless an LCD or policy article says otherwise, so a POD that does not match the billed date is a denial waiting to happen. Missing, unsigned, or mismatched POD is one of the most common findings in ADR responses.
Common questions
Does the beneficiary have to sign?
For direct delivery, the beneficiary or a designee signs. For shipping, the carrier's delivery evidence stands in for a signature, as long as your records tie the shipment to the beneficiary and the item.
What if the item description on the POD is generic?
The POD must describe the item well enough to match it to what was ordered and billed. A slip that says only equipment does not prove delivery of the specific item.
Can AffirmDME catch a missing POD?
Yes. Proof of delivery is a checklist item on every case, and missing-document detection flags it before you bill or answer an ADR.
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Sources: DME MAC Article A55426 — Proof of Delivery · CMS Program Integrity Manual, Chapter 4 (4.7.3.1 Proof of Delivery Documentation Requirements) . Definitions summarize public Medicare policy and are not legal or billing advice.
More terms
- ADR — Additional Documentation Request
- Prior authorization
- Affirmation and non-affirmation
- UTN — Unique Tracking Number
- SWO — Standard Written Order
- Face-to-face encounter
- DME MAC — Durable Medical Equipment Medicare Administrative Contractor
- Jurisdiction
- PTAN — Provider Transaction Access Number
- NPI — National Provider Identifier
- MBI — Medicare Beneficiary Identifier
- LCD — Local Coverage Determination
- NCD — National Coverage Determination
- Policy article
- HCPCS — Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System
- Length of need
- Prior authorization exemption
- Competitive bidding
- CMN and DIF — Certificate of Medical Necessity and DME Information Form
- TPE — Targeted Probe and Educate
- Prepayment review