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Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance) covers hospital beds as durable medical equipment (DME) that your doctor prescribes for use in your home. Your costs in Original Medicare After you meet the Part B deductible you pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount (if your supplier accepts assignment ).
- Overview
- When does Medicare cover hospital beds for home use?
- Which Medicare plans may be best for you if you know you need a hospital bed at home?
- What is a home hospital bed?
- Which hospital beds are covered?
- How much does the average hospital bed for home use cost?
- The bottom line
•Medicare will cover hospital beds to use at home when they’re medically necessary.
•To get coverage, you’ll need a doctor’s order stating that your condition requires a hospital bed.
•Medicare Part B will pay 80 percent of the cost of your home hospital bed.
•If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, it may pay more.
Your doctor might order a hospital bed for you to use at home for many reasons, such as if you’re in severe pain, having trouble breathing, or experiencing swelling in your legs and feet.
Medicare will cover the hospital bed as long it’s medically necessary to help your condition. Your doctor will need to order the bed and show how it will help your condition.
Hospital beds for home use are considered durable medical equipment (DME). Medicare covers DME under Part B. Your hospital bed will need to meet a few conditions in order to be covered.
Medicare will pay for your hospital bed if:
•You have a documented medical condition that requires a home hospital bed.
•You’re under the care of a doctor for your condition and being seen at least once every 6 months.
•Your doctor orders the bed for home use.
•Your doctor’s order includes your condition and why a hospital bed will help you.
You can get coverage for hospital beds through a few different parts of Medicare.
If you use Medicare parts A and B, together called original Medicare, your coverage will be through Medicare Part B. That’s because Medicare Part A covers inpatient stays and care you receive in hospitals and skilled nursing facilities.
Medicare Part B covers your other healthcare needs, including:
•doctor’s office visits
•emergency room care
•medical equipment
A hospital bed is a bed that has extra features, such as side rails, gel cushioning, or the ability to raise your head or feet. Your doctor might order a hospital bed for home use if you have:
•arthritis, osteoporosis, or another chronic pain condition
•heart conditions that require you to keep your head, heart, or limbs elevated
•a condition that requires you to be repositioned for pain or pressure relief
•a spinal cord condition or injury
•chronic obstructive pulmonary disease that’s affected by your sleeping position
Medicare covers several types of hospital beds. This includes:
•adjustable beds
•semielectric beds with adjustable heads and feet
•beds with side rails
•extra-wide bariatric beds that can hold weights of 350 to 600 pounds
•extra-wide bariatric beds that can hold weights of more than 600 pounds
The cost of a hospital bed depends on the type of bed your doctor orders.
According to Consumer Affairs, hospital bed costs start at around $500 and can often reach thousands of dollars. When you rent a hospital bed, Consumer Affairs reports, you can spend between $200 and $500 per month depending on the bed type.
Medicare can help you reduce this cost. Medicare Part B will pay 80 percent of your costs when you use original Medicare.
So, let’s say your doctor orders a bed with a cost of $1,000. In this case, Medicare would pay $800 and you’d pay $200. If you decide to rent a bed instead for $300 per month, Medicare would pay $240 and you’d pay $60.
If you have a Medigap plan, it can pick up those remaining costs, meaning you wouldn’t need to pay anything for your hospital bed.
Your costs with a Medicare Advantage plan will depend on the plan. Each Part C plan has its own copayment or coinsurance amounts. You can call your Advantage plan if you’re not sure.
Medicare will pay for a hospital bed for home use if it’s medically necessary and ordered by your doctor.
Medicare covers a variety of hospital beds to help with different conditions. Your doctor will need to specify your condition and why a hospital bed will help it.
Aug 16, 2024 · When a doctor deems it medically necessary, Medicare will cover hospital beds to use at home. Generally, Part B will cover 80% of the cost. Medigap and Medicare Advantage may pay more.
- Mandy French
Apr 23, 2024 · Some adjustable hospital beds are covered by Medicare under certain circumstances. Learn how to qualify, which Medicare parts pay, and what it may cost.
You require traction equipment which can only be attached to a hospital bed. Specialty beds that allow the height of the bed to vary are covered if you require this feature to permit transfers to a chair, wheelchair or standing position.
Jun 11, 2024 · Medicare considers prescribed adjustable beds, including hospital beds, as DME. Therefore, it may cover the cost as long as a doctor certifies that a person needs the bed for home use....
People also ask
Does Medicare cover a hospital bed at home?
Does Medigap cover a hospital bed?
How much does Medicare cover a hospital bed?
How much does a home hospital bed cost?
Does Medicare cover a bed if a supplier doesn't accept Medicare?
Can I rent a hospital bed?
May 4, 2021 · Medicare will only cover a hospital bed if your doctor declares it a medical necessity and your doctor and the bed supplier are enrolled in Medicare. If they are not enrolled, Medicare will not pay for the bed.
