Incontinence Care for All Levels of Bladder Control Loss
If you have minor, stress incontinence, or full loss of control of your bladder due to quadriplegia, you need medical supplies that take care of you. You may need catheters, bladder pads or diapers, or urinary supplies like urine drainage bags. Finnegan Health Services can help you get these supplies covered by your Arkansas Medicaid, Medicare, and/or your Private Insurance. While not all the supplies are covered by all insurances, Finnegans can help you understand how to get the supplies you need.
Catheters & Urological Supplies
There are three types of catheters you may need for urinary incontinence. The first is a standard catheter, also known as an in-and-out catheter. You use the catheter once then throw it away. You insert the catheter per your doctor’s recommendations and it immediately drains the urine.
The second kind of catheter is a Foley catheter, or indwelling catheter. These catheters stay in the body and continually drain the urine into a drainage bag. The drainage bag is attached to either your leg or bed or wheelchair.
The third kind of catheter is a male external catheter. These are designed for men who are able to mostly control their bladder urges but may still lack full bladder control. These catheters look like a condom and have a tip that a urinary drain bag can be attached to. Men can also urinate directly into the toilet with these.
If you use catheters and collect the urine, per your doctor’s orders, you will need urological supplies. Catheters, if medically diagnosed for use, are covered by all Arkansas insurances. There are limitations of quantity based on the doctor’s prescribed frequency of use.
Urological supplies refers to all of the tubing and different types of drainage bags that collect the urine. The tubes attach to a catheter of some type and store the urine. They are used to monitor any infections of the bladder and blood in the urine.
Urinary drainage bags are helpful to keep people moving who have severe bladder control loss. They can attach to your leg using straps or can be hung from a bed or wheelchair. These products give catheter users freedom to leave the nearest toilet and live their lives.
Urological products are always paired with a catheter of some type but not all catheter users need urological supplies. Urological supplies are also prescribed by a doctor and covered by public and private insurances if there is a medical need.
Incontinence Supplies
Incontinence supplies vary from bladder pads to full-incontinence diapers. These supplies vary in thickness and volume based on the patient’s need. These products must be prescribed for insurance to cover them and the only insurance that covers these kinds of incontinence products is Arkansas Medicaid.
Bladder pads come as thin as panty liners up to thicknesses for bed bound patients. These products sit in the patient’s underwear and are changed as needed.
Patients can use pullups, like underwear, or diapers with tabs, to help with the loss of control of their bladder. A pullup is generally used for those with moderate to severe, or full, incontinence. They are pulled up and down like underwear so they are good to use if you have some bladder signals and you can almost make it to the toilet. Children and adults can both use pullups.
A diaper is also available for both children and adults and are used for those with complete lack of bladder signals. Diapers are also more effective for those patients in a bed because they are easier to change than pull-ups in that situation. Generally, diapers also come with more absorbency than a diaper and so are preferred by those without bladder control. Diapers are also more ideal if the patient has bowel incontinence as well.
If a patient is bed bound or in a wheelchair, underpads are available that lie flat underneath them. These bed pads are used more for a backup to a diaper or a pullup as they are not usually that absorbent. But to prevent an accident or messing the bed, they are ideal.
Incontinence care comes in many forms. It all depends on the patient’s need which is their frequency of urination, volume of urination, and physical ability. While incontinence supplies have never been covered by Medicare, Arkansas Medicaid and some private insurances will cover them with a proper medical diagnosis and prescription.
If you or your patients are experiencing some level of leakage or absorbency issue with your incontinence product here are some things to check on. With the large amount of incontinence products the most important thing to look into is to double check that you are in the correct style of product and the right size for your height and weight. Products that are too large may leak due to sagging. If you are using a diaper/brief product it should fit snugly but comfortable to the body.
If you have questions about bladder incontinence products for your patients, call our experts at Finnegan Health Services who can help get your patients into the right product for their incontinence needs. Most often the greatest challenge a patient faces is fits with no leakage, or accidents. We strive to get each patient into the right product for their level of incontinence. Call 501-663-6600 today to get your patient in the right product.
