Medicare will only cover the cost of a hospital bed rental or purchase if it is tagged a medical necessity and prescribed by a physician or doctor. The bed must also be provided by a Medicare approved equipment supplier.
Hospital beds are classified as durable medical equipment (DME) by Medicare. Coverage is provided for durable medical equipment under Medicare Part B. However, some conditions must be met before this coverage kicks in. Also, there are some out-of-pocket costs you have to cover if Medicare pays for your hospital bed.
Medicare will only pay for a hospital bed purchase or rental for home use if:
- You are enrolled in Medicare Part B
- The bed is part of a doctor’s prescription and it is considered a medical necessity
- The supplier of the bed is Medicare-enrolled.
Medicare.gov suggests that “Doctors and suppliers have to meet strict standards to enroll and stay enrolled in Medicare. If your doctors or suppliers aren’t enrolled, Medicare won’t pay the claims submitted by them.”
If the rental or purchase of your hospital bed is approved for Medicare coverage, Medicare will cover 80% of the cost while you pay 20% of the Medicare approved amount of the hospital bed.
Medicare will however not pay its share until you pay your Part B deductible. As at now, the Part B deductible for Medicare is an annual fee of $203.
Under current Medicare rules, the bed will officially become yours after 13 months of rentals. Factors that determine the specific cost of your hospital bed are:
- Your location
- The other insurance you have
- Your doctor’s charge
Medicare competitive bidding program
This is a scheme organized for Medicare-enrolled DME suppliers to submit bids for provision of durable medical equipment to eligible recipients residing or visiting competitive bidding areas.
Does Medicare pay for hospital stays?
The coverage for inpatient treatment and care is handled under Medicare Part A. This also includes hospice care, limited home health services, and skilled nursing care. Medicare Part A coverage includes:
- Meals
- Semi-private rooms
- Inpatient treatment drugs
- General nursing
- Other hospital services and supplies
Things like personal care items, private-duty nursing, phone and television services, are not included in Medicare Part A.
It is however important to state that Medicare will not pay its share of a hospital stay until you pay your Medicare Part A deductible which is $1484 as at 2021.