Summary & Overview
HCPCS Level II E0248: Heavy-Duty Transfer Bench for Tub or Toilet
HCPCS Level II code E0248 represents a heavy-duty transfer bench designed for tub or toilet use, with or without a commode opening. This durable medical equipment (DME) code matters nationally because it supports safe transfers for patients with mobility limitations, reduces caregiver strain, and can affect DME coverage and utilization patterns across major payers. Coverage decisions and documentation requirements for E0248 influence access to home and institutional bathing and toileting aids and may affect durable medical equipment spending.
Key payers covered in the analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise overview of the code’s clinical purpose and typical sites of service, along with what to expect in the full publication: national coverage and payment benchmarks, documentation and clinical justification considerations, common modifiers and billing nuances, and related HCPCS codes for transfer and bathing equipment. The publication provides actionable billing context and policy-relevant details without state-specific guidance.
Data not available in the input is noted where applicable.
Billing Code Overview
HCPCS Level II code E0248 describes a transfer bench, heavy duty, for tub or toilet with or without commode opening. This durable medical equipment item is intended to assist patients with mobility impairments in transferring into and out of a tub or using a toilet, and may include a commode opening to facilitate toileting while seated on the bench.
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Service type: Durable medical equipment (transfer/transfer-assist device)
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Typical site of service: Home, outpatient clinic, long-term care facility, or any setting where bathing or toileting assistance is provided
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A typical patient is an older adult with mobility limitations who requires transfer assistance for bathing or toileting. Example: a 78-year-old female with left total hip arthroplasty six weeks prior, decreased weight-bearing tolerance, and limited hip abduction who needs assistance getting into and out of a bathtub. A home health physical therapist performs a home safety evaluation, documents difficulty with lateral transfers into the tub, and recommends a heavy-duty transfer bench with a commode opening to allow safe sit-to-stand and lateral slide transfers, reduce fall risk, and permit toileting while seated. The durable medical equipment (DME) supplier delivers the E0248 bench, confirms fit at the tub/toilet, provides caregiver and patient education on safe transfer technique, documents delivery, and obtains signatures for medical necessity. Typical workflow: physician or therapist documents diagnosis and necessity, writes DME order specifying E0248, supplier performs home measurement and delivery, and payer adjudicates coverage per medical necessity and DME benefit rules.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
00 | No modifier | Use when no other modifier applies and standard billing is appropriate |