Most people who rent or buy a hospital bed for home use do so because they’re caring for someone with a temporary physical condition that makes the bed necessary, or they’re caring for someone with dementia, says Cay Ambrose, a registered nurse with Bayada, a global home health care agency.
“Our patients who’ve sustained a traumatic brain injury or a spinal cord injury first go to a rehabilitation facility when they get out of the hospital,” she says. “They don’t go home from rehab until after all the equipment they need has been ordered. So, in most cases, if someone is considering a hospital bed for home, it’s because the person is dealing with something other than a catastrophic illness or acute injury.”
Ambrose suggests a caregiver who’s considering a hospital bed for home use ask the following:
- Are you providing incontinence care or bathing care?
- Does the patient need to sleep with their head or feet elevated?
- Are you concerned about keeping yourself and the patient safe when helping them in and out of bed?
- If you’re the patient’s partner and you’ve been sleeping in the same bed up to this point, are you ready to sleep separately?
If the answer to these questions is “yes,” then it’s worth looking into a hospital bed that provides mechanical lift assistance.
Hospital Beds Help With Home Care
A hospital bed at home isn’t just useful for the person who sleeps in it—it can also save caregivers from musculoskeletal injuries. “Safety for the patient and for the caregiver is the number one concern,” says Ambrose.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor Statistics, people working in health care occupations are more likely to sustain musculoskeletal injuries than workers in almost any other industry.
Annie Dodd, a licensed occupational therapist and the president and executive director of All Blessings Flow, a nonprofit organization in Charlottesville, Virginia that collects, refurbishes and redistributes used medical equipment, agrees.
“When someone becomes so debilitated that they are bed-bound, caregivers are bending over beds to assist with bathing, changing briefs and changing bed pads and sheets,” she says. “Hospital beds relieve strain for caregivers by raising the entire bed to a height that enables appropriate care of the patient.”
“As an occupational therapist, I’ve worked with patients, caregivers and families, and I know that hospital beds can truly prevent injuries,” says Dodd. Beyond physical comfort, a hospital bed that can be controlled by the patient can also improve quality of life and support a sense of independence.
Choosing the Right Hospital Bed
All hospital beds support the patient in positions that aren’t possible with a regular bed. The main difference between types of hospital beds is how such positioning is achieved.
Electric Beds
Also known as fully electric beds, these beds use electrical controls to raise and lower the head, the foot and the height of the bed. They also tend to be the most expensive, costing as much as $40,000.
Semi-Electric Beds
These beds use electrical controls to raise and lower the head and foot of the bed, but a manual mechanism adjusts the height of the bed. They typically cost around $1,000.
Manual Beds
These beds use a hand crank to raise and lower the head, foot and height of the bed. They tend to be the least expensive option, with some available for less than $1,000.
Bariatric Hospital Beds
The weight limit for a standard hospital bed is about 400 to 600 pounds. Bariatric beds are designed to support people whose weight exceeds the limit of a standard hospital bed. They can usually support between 600 and 1,000 pounds. These beds are longer and wider and tend to cost more than standard hospital beds.
The hospital bed medical cot bed 3 crank hospital bed for patient
Considering Height and Width
Most hospital beds weigh more and are wider than regular beds. Meanwhile, some can be adjusted to be higher or lower than regular beds.
A bed that can get closer to the ground is safer for people with certain diagnoses like cognitive issues, says Dodd. “Having the bed lowered at night with a fall mat by the side of the bed decreases the chance of a serious injury,” she adds.
How to Purchase a Hospital Bed
New and used hospital beds are available directly from online and brick-and-mortar stores. Some retailers that sell reconditioned beds offer warranties, and new beds are likely to have warranties ranging from one to three years.
Should You Rent or Buy?
The decision to rent or buy is a matter of personal preference, budget and the condition of the patient. If their condition is expected to improve within a given period of time, it may make sense to rent a bed for temporary use.
“Many people rent to own,” says Ambrose, with Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance plans paying for the rental.
Does Insurance Cover Hospital Beds?
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) classify hospital beds as durable medical equipment (DME).
As the name suggests, CMS administers the two types of public health insurance available in the United States: Medicare and Medicaid. Medicare’s DME coverage guidelines state the patient’s physician must document the patient’s condition and reason for needing a hospital bed. If a semi-electric or fully electric bed is prescribed, additional documentation may be required.
Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance usually reimburse for hospital bed rentals or purchases when a doctor has certified:
- A person’s condition requires being in a specific position.
- The condition makes it difficult for the patient to transfer from the bed to the floor.
- The condition increases the patient’s risk of respiratory infection or unwanted muscle contracture.
Conditions that typically qualify someone for insurance coverage for a hospital bed at home include:
- Severe arthritis
- A foot or leg injury
- A nervous system injury, such as a spinal cord injury or traumatic brain injury
- Some degree of paralysis, such as quadriplegia or paraplegia
- A heart condition that makes it dangerous for the patient to strain to get in or out of bed
When determining which products and services to cover, “Medicaid and most private insurance plans follow Medicare’s lead,” says Ambrose.
Medicare
There are different plans available within Medicare, the public insurance option for people over 65. Medicare Part A covers healthcare people receive in hospitals and rehabilitation centers, at home and in hospice. Medicare Part B covers DME, healthcare services typically delivered in a doctor’s office, some prescription drugs and other services, such as ambulance services and participation in clinical research.
Medicaid
Medicaid is public insurance funded by the federal government and state governments. States can choose how they cover DME, but they are required to cover it to some extent because it’s considered a mandatory benefit. Check your state’s DME coverage policies in this list maintained by the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC).
Coverage for Veterans
Like Medicare and Medicaid, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) pays for a hospital bed at home when a doctor documents its medical necessity. There are some exceptions, though, says Dodd. “I have seen some veterans receive top-of-the-line DME and all that they could ever need, but I have also seen some who have fallen through the cracks who have received little to nothing,” she says.
Financial Assistance Options
Dodd says she’s also seen people denied coverage for DME by their private insurance. “There’s often a lot of red tapes involved with getting DME through insurance. The companies can kick back requests and cause delays or even deny people who have a need for equipment. Often, if the person doesn’t have the right diagnosis, they’re denied,” she says.
The length of time a person is expected to need the equipment can be a factor as well. “Insurance will sometimes deny coverage because the person doesn’t have a long-term illness,” says Dodd. “Many people are unable to afford the DME they need and end up trying to manage the best they can, which can often prolong their recovery.”
Meanwhile, there are groups and programs that provide equipment free of charge to people in need, either because they don’t have insurance or because their insurance won’t cover the cost of DME. Project C.U.R.E., for example, is a global organization that distributes donated medical equipment and supplies to resource-limited communities in more than 135 countries.
Additional Hospital Bed Costs
Beyond the hospital bed iself, there are a few components and accessories worth accounting for when considering the overall cost.
- Mattress. The type of mattress used on a hospital bed is an important factor. “Medicare calls the mattress a support surface,” says Ambrose, and CMS recognizes support systems in three different groups. For instance, products in groups 2 and 3 are designed to reduce risk of pressure injury and pressure ulcers. (Prior authorization is typically required for products in group 2.)
- Sheets. While most traditional twin-sized sheets fit most hospital beds, so-called “slide sheets” can reduce friction caused by moving or turning the patient in bed, says Ambrose, which is important in maintaining both patient and caregiver safety.
- Hospital bed table. Tables common to hospital rooms, known as overbed tables, are widely available in retail stores and online. Many options cost less than $100.
- Trapeze and rails. Trapeze bars, rails and other assistive devices are best prescribed by an occupational or physical therapist, says Ambrose. These products can be helpful as long as their uses are tailored to a person’s condition and needs.
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