Wee Answer Wednesday with Men’s Liberty

You’d think we’d run out of questions after a while, especially since we do this every week. In actuality, not really. With a growing base of new customers and healthcare professionals joining the Men’s Liberty family, there’s always someone new with questions I’ve never heard before. So I have to tip my hat to our Customer Care Reps and our Customers who so consistently think outside the box in ways I’d never expect. I salute you!

1. Why doesn’t the small pouch drain into the bed bag? I have to almost lay the bag on the floor to get it to drain.

The Men’s Liberty utilizes gravity drainage, meaning the bag must be below your bladder in order to drain. From your question, it sounds as though urine is draining into the small bag but not into the bed bag, which can indicate that there is an issue with the bed bag or tubing. I suggest trying a different bed bag and seeing if the same issue occurs. I would also recommend checking all your tubing to ensure that it is not twisted or kinked. If none of these resolves the issue, please call our Customer Care team and we will work with you to troubleshoot the issue and make sure we get it resolved for you!

2. You say do not remove plug on bottom. How do I empty the urine from the bag if I don’t pull the plug? The bag does not hold very much fluid. My first day I had to empty the bag every two hours.

If you are regularly producing more urine than the small pouch can handle, we recommend attaching the drain plug to any standard leg or bedside bag to ensure sufficient drainage. However, if you just dribble and leak, the small pouch may be enough.

So unless it is connected to another large drainage bag, it is important to keep the plug closed in order to prevent leakage.

3. You said that it is covered by Medicare and insurance. Are all supplies needed in the future also covered and how do you receive supplies?

Yes. Once we get a letter of medical necessity and progress note from your physician, our distributors can ensure reimbursement from Medicare and/or your insurance provider. Additional documentation for future orders is obtained annually in order to ensure continued reimbursement. Our Customer Care team will take care of all this paperwork for you so that you get your supplies when you need them.

4. You asked my doctor to sign a letter of medical necessity. What is that? Is it like a prescription?

It’s similar. A Letter of Medical Necessity (LMN) is slightly different from a prescription and it is not necessary to purchase the product. If you wish to pay cash, you can do that, unlike prescription items like Viagra. However, a LMN is required in order to secure coverage for the product under Medicare or your insurance plan.

5. I’m just getting out of the hospital and will have a home health nurse helping me for the next 6 weeks. I’d like to resume using Men’s Liberty. But the home health agency doesn’t want to buy the product. What can I do?

First, glad to hear you are on the mend! Second, due to Medicare regulations, only one entity can bill Medicare at a time. During a home health episode that means that they are the only ones who can bill your Medicare so they have to purchase all products you will be using, including Men’s Liberty. Unfortunately, sometimes that means they want to use products they are more familiar with, such as diapers or condom catheters. If your home health agency is reluctant, feel free to connect them to our Customer Care Team. We are happy to inform them about the product, why people use it and the benefits they can see. Once they’re bought in, it’s a lot easier to get them to supply your choice of product.

And last, but certainly not least, you can always look for a different home health service. Although sometimes it’s hard to remember, you are the customer here and you have the power to hire and fire. If your current provider isn’t providing the level and quality of service that you need, look for someone else who will!