Chronic wound care
Medicare-covered under NCD 270.1 since 2004 — and most eligible patients have never heard of it.
The coverage
CMS has national coverage for PEMF in chronic wound healing. Eligible wounds include chronic Stage II+ pressure ulcers, diabetic and arterial/venous ulcers that have failed standard care. NPUAP/EPUAP guidance recognizes PEMF for pressure injuries.
Why it's under-used
The coverage has existed for two decades, but awareness — among both patients and referring clinicians — is low. That gap is exactly what a direct-to-patient channel is built to close.
Who this patient is
He is 71 years old, type 2 diabetic, with a plantar foot ulcer that has been present for four months. He has had two rounds of antibiotics, weekly wound-care clinic visits, and a specialized boot. The wound is smaller but not closed. His wound-care nurse is excellent and has tried everything in her standard protocol. He is spending 90 minutes round-trip to the clinic twice a week and would rather manage this from home. He is on Medicare. He does not know that his Medicare has covered a device for exactly this situation since 2004.
The conversion moment
The conversion moment for the wound-care patient is information, not sales. He learns — from a search result, from his wound-care nurse, or from a discharge sheet — that Medicare covers a home PEMF device for wounds that haven't closed with standard care. He has met the clinical threshold months ago. The barrier is awareness. Once he knows the coverage exists and that getting the device requires only a prescription and a brief intake, the question becomes logistical rather than financial.
Sources
- CMS NCD 270.1 (PEMF for chronic wounds)
- NPUAP/EPUAP pressure-injury guidance
Related
Ready to put SofPulse to work?
SofPulse is available by prescription. Patients can order online and pay with pre-tax HSA/FSA dollars; clinicians can start prescribing in minutes.
For education only — not medical advice, and not a substitute for a clinician's judgment. SofPulse is available by prescription only. Reimbursement figures reflect the 2026 CMS Physician Fee Schedule and vary by locality, payer, and documentation.