A Sample Letter of Medical Necessity for a Standing Desk

If you have a specific medical condition that requires the use of a standing desk, speak with your workplace’s benefits administrator to determine if all or a portion of the cost of a standing desk may be eligible for coverage through your Flexible Savings Account (FSA) / Health Spending Account (HSA) with appropriate documentation. Appropriate documentation for a standing desk or height adjustable desk, in many cases, includes a well-written letter of medical necessity (LMN) from your doctor and/or chiropractors.

Can a standing desk be prescribed for me?

Yes, you can get a prescription for an adjustable standing desk or an angle adjustable chair if you have a specific condition that could be helped with the use of the ergonomic standing equipment being prescribed.  A letter of medical necessity will be necessary to get the standing desk prescription.

What is a Letter of Medical Necessity?

A letter of medical necessity is a detailed “doctor’s note” that is written specifically to address the equipment needs and associated health benefits for the specific individual. For instance, If you are experiencing pain or other issues from sitting at a desk, there are likely valid medical reasons to start using a standing desk.

Who can write a letter of medical necessity for a standing desk?

A doctor, chiropractor, physical therapists, occupational therapist, or registered nurse can all write you a letter of medical necessity for a standing desk. Sometimes it can be beneficial to have more than one of the medical professionals sign the letter.

Learn more about the medical benefits of a standing desk.

Sample Letter of Medical Necessity for Standing Desk

(Include Doctors name and address)

(Include patient details including name, date of birth, insurance ID number if applicable)

To Whom It May Concern:

I have been treating (patient name) as his/her primary caregiver. This XX-year-old man/woman reports decreased sensation in her lower back and bilateral lower extremities when sitting at his/her desk at work (insert your specific medical issues from prolonged sitting here).

For office workers who are asked to work from a sitting position 5+ hours a day, these symptoms can be lessened, or prevented, with the use of an adjustable standing desk. Studies have shown there are benefits to alternation standing and adjusting positions while working, as opposed to sitting alone.

These health benefits of an adjustable standing desk include: (include the health benefits specific to the individual)

Acute Discogenic Pain
Chronic Discogenic Pain
Chronic Upper Back Pain
Chronic Lower Back Pain
Chronic Neck Pain
Cervicogenic Headaches
Reduction of edema of the lower extremities
Improvement in circulation
The decrease in back pain
The decrease in average blood pressure
Other: __________________

It is for these reasons that I am recommending that (patient name) use an ergonomic, adjustable standing desk while working.  A standing desk is reasonably expected to reduce the physical, developmental, or mental effects of (provide details about illness, injury, or disability).

If you have further questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,

(signature of MD name and title)

 

Other Letter of Medical Necessity Writing Tips

• Were you able to trial a standing desk or angle adjustable chair? List successes with the trial or treatment.
• There are many recent medical studies and articles on the health benefits that you can cite.
• What other treatments or equipment have you tried that hasn’t worked? List previous and failed treatments.
• Were other lesser costly treatments recommended?  Address why those suggested treatments were not chosen.
• Be specific about physical and/or psychological factors that are relevant to the individual and the chosen treatment.

How can we help?

Ready to learn more? Need help writing a letter of medical necessity for your standing desk? Give HealthPostures a call at 800-277-1841 or contact us here if you are ready to improve your workday and your health.  We have several different options for home offices, corporate settings, and even medical offices.  The Stance Angle Chair transforms how we think about sitting and products like the Clever Electric Lift Legs can turn any work surface into an adjustable desktop.