November 22, 2021
Media contacts:
Deidre McCabe, Director, Office of Communications, 410-767-3536
Andy Owen, Deputy Director, Media Relations 410-767-6491
PHOTO RELEASE: Secretaries from Maryland Departments of Health, Aging, and Planning visit new Durable Medical Equipment Program headquarters in Cheltenham, Maryland
Baltimore, MD – Executives from the Maryland Department of Health (MDH), the Maryland Department of Aging (MDoA), and the Maryland Department of Planning (MDP) today visited the new headquarters of the Durable Medical Equipment Reuse Program (DME) in Cheltenham, Maryland.
DME was developed by MDoA to repair and sanitize durable medical equipment ‒ including walkers, wheelchairs, and other reusable equipment ‒ before it is provided in like-new condition to Marylanders in need, at no cost, when insurance does not provide coverage.
“Our equipment is available to Marylanders who have any illness, injury, or disability, regardless of age,” said MDoA Secretary Rona Kramer. “The DME program allows thousands of Marylanders to enjoy much fuller lives by enabling them to participate in employment and social activities that they would not otherwise have the ability to enjoy.”
L to R: MDoA Secretary Rona Kramer, MDP Secretary Robert McCord, MDoA’s DME Program Director Ian Edwards, MDH Deputy Secretary for Health Care Financing and Medicaid Steve Schuh, and MDH Secretary Dennis R. Schrader discuss the DME program’s capabilities.
“I encourage anyone who has unused durable medical equipment to donate it to this program,” said MDH Secretary Dennis R. Schrader. “A piece of equipment you no longer need can provide a direct benefit to a fellow Marylander in need.”
The Cheltenham facility opened in March of 2021 to serve as the headquarters and primary warehouse for DME. It encompasses 55,000 sq. ft. and has the capacity to process tens of thousands of pieces of equipment each year. Maryland is the first state in the nation to develop a medical equipment reuse program of this magnitude.
In addition to the Cheltenham facility, there are DME sites in 11 counties across the state. Those wishing to make a donation or pickup equipment can use MDoA’s site locator to find a facility near them.
“In this DME program, we are able to keep hundreds of thousands of cubic feet of materials out of landfills,” said MDP Secretary Rob McCord. “DME is a showcase for the exponential benefits that reuse programs like this provide to communities throughout the state. This program is improving lives while it’s also improving the environment.”
