Hospital beds are durable medical equipment used for patient rest and recovery. They can be manually or electrically adjustable and can be purchased new or used from medical equipment stores or classified ads. Health insurance may cover all or part of the cost. DME dealers can assist with the purchase and delivery of the bed. Private sales and rentals are also available.
A hospital bed is a durable medical equipment (DME) used for rest and recovery of patients in hospitals, nursing homes, hospices, and even private homes. This equipment is designed to promote patient safety with lockable bed rails and to promote patient comfort with adjustments available to raise or lower the head of the bed, knees and foot area. Hospital beds can be manually adjustable, requiring a caretaker to adjust the bed for a bedridden patient, or electrically controlled by both ends. In the United States, it is a relatively simple procedure to purchase a hospital bed, new or used, from a variety of sources, including medical equipment stores or even classified ads in the local newspaper. The cost of a hospital bed can be partially or fully covered by health insurance, depending on who will be using it and why it is needed.
The first step in purchasing a hospital bed is to ascertain whether a health insurance company will pay all or part of its cost. As long as the patient’s treating physician certifies the patient’s medical need, Medicare, Medicaid, and most health insurance companies will help purchase a hospital bed, although model options may be limited depending on plan benefits. The size of an insurance company’s contribution can be determined by contacting the medical insurance company by telephone or by consulting the company’s benefit manual. Optionally, the customer service representatives at most DME dealers are extremely knowledgeable about the different insurance plans and can also advise prospective customers.
When a customer chooses to purchase a hospital bed through a DME reseller, the transaction can be initiated with a phone call to the company. The customer service representative will ask for the patient’s name, address, phone number, insurance coverage information, and the name of their physician. In most cases, an appointment for the delivery and setting up of the hospital bed can be made during this same telephone conversation. Special features not explicitly covered by a patient’s insurance benefits are billed to the patient weeks later, after the insurance company has been formally billed and an explanation of benefits (EOB) has been issued.
It is also possible to purchase a hospital bed through private sources. Offers for used hospital beds can occasionally be found in classified ads in local newspapers. DME dealers also offer private sales of new and used models. Depending on the anticipated duration of use and insurance benefits, a hospital bed may be rented for a short time rather than an actual purchase.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
