New York workers’ comp & no-fault DME
TENS units for workers’ comp & no-fault claims
A TENS unit your treating provider prescribed for pain after a work injury or car accident — handled under your New York claim. Where ongoing supplies are prescribed and your claim documentation supports them, the electrode pads keep coming on the same claim, so treatment doesn’t stall waiting on pads.
Your treating provider decides what’s medically necessary; this page explains the process.
Does workers’ comp or no-fault cover a TENS unit in New York?
Yes — when your treating provider prescribes a TENS unit for pain after a work injury or car accident, New York workers’ comp or no-fault can cover the unit and its electrode-pad supplies. A prescription is always required; some workers’ comp items also need prior authorization. Send the prescription through our referral form and we review it the next business day.
- Rx-first
Prescription confirmed before fulfillment
- Next-day
Referral review
- Resupply
Electrode pads under the same claim, where prescribed
- 5
Boroughs served from Brooklyn
What TENS situations are covered?
Coverage follows the claim and the prescription, not a catalog. The common paths we handle in New York:
Work injuries (workers’ comp)
A TENS unit prescribed for pain after an on-the-job neck, back, shoulder, knee, or soft-tissue injury, billed to the workers’ compensation carrier on the claim.
Motor-vehicle accidents (no-fault)
A TENS unit prescribed for pain after a car accident, billed to the no-fault (auto) carrier once the claim details and assignment of benefits are in place.
Ongoing electrode-pad supplies
The recurring part most suppliers drop: where the prescription covers them, the electrode pads and lead supplies are resupplied under the same claim, so prescribed treatment stays usable instead of stopping when the pads wear out.
Who keeps the electrode pads and supplies coming?
We do. A TENS unit is only as useful as its supplies — the electrode pads and leads wear out and have to be replaced to keep the prescribed treatment going. Where the prescription covers ongoing supplies, we resupply the pads and lead supplies under the same workers’ comp or no-fault claim, on a recurring basis, so treatment doesn’t stall waiting on pads. Resupply follows the prescription and the claim documentation.
What prescription and documents do you need for a TENS unit?
A prescription from the treating provider is always required — and if it covers ongoing electrode pads and lead supplies, we note that so the resupply is set up from the start. For workers’ comp, some items also need a prior authorization (PAR) — submitted through OnBoard by the Board-authorized prescribing provider, not the DME supplier — and we flag when one is needed. For no-fault, we collect the claim number, carrier, accident date, and assignment-of-benefits paperwork so the carrier can be billed directly.
Does CityDME submit the workers’ comp prior authorization?
No. When a workers’ comp item requires prior authorization, the PAR is submitted through OnBoard by the Board-authorized prescribing provider — DME suppliers are not eligible to submit PARs. We review the order and tell you exactly when a PAR is needed so it is not the reason a patient waits.
How do I send a TENS referral?
Patients, attorneys, treating providers, and adjusters can all start it. Send the prescription and claim details through our referral form, and the Brooklyn desk runs a completeness review the next business day. If anything is missing, we tell you exactly what to send.
- 1. Send the prescription. Include the claim type — workers’ comp or no-fault — and whether ongoing supplies are prescribed.
- 2. We review it the next business day. We check the order for completeness and flag a PAR if the item needs one.
- 3. We deliver — and keep supplies coming. Once the documentation is complete, we deliver the unit and, where prescribed, keep the electrode pads resupplied under the same claim. Under the fee schedule, delivery and setup are part of the service — $0 out of pocket where your claim applies and documentation is complete.
Which New York rules apply?
A TENS unit and its supplies are billed under New York’s claim rules — the workers’ compensation DME fee schedule, or the no-fault (Regulation 68) fee schedule for auto claims. A prescription is always required, patient billing for covered services is limited, and for workers’ comp any prior authorization is provider-submitted through OnBoard. The plain-language explainers live here:
Questions before you send a referral? Call (973) 850-3121.