What Medicare documentation is needed for closed system catheters?

If your patient is insured by Medicare and needs closed system catheter kits, Medicare requires specific documentation to approve them.

As of January 2026, Medicare may cover closed system catheters for patients with documented spinal cord injuries.

Another reason Medicare may cover closed system catheters is with documented proof of recurring UTIs (at least 2 in a 12-month period) during sterile use (using a catheter one time only).

The UTI documentation must include notes of concurrent symptoms, such as:

• Fever over 100.4 F
• Systemic leukocytosis
• Change in urgency, frequency
• Incontinence
• Sweating, bradycardia, and blood pressure elevation
• Prostatitis, epididymitis, orchitis
• Muscle spasms
• Documented pyuria (more than 4 white blood cells in urine culture)