Getting a hospital bed at home starts with a doctor’s prescription and, in most cases, insurance approval. Medicare, Medicaid, VA benefits, and many private insurers cover home hospital beds when they’re deemed medically necessary. The process typically takes a few days to a few weeks depending on your insurance and the supplier’s availability. Here’s how it works from start to finish.
Start With a Doctor’s Prescription
A hospital bed is classified as durable medical equipment (DME), which means you need a written prescription from your doctor before a supplier can provide one. Your doctor must document why a standard bed won’t meet your medical needs. Common qualifying reasons include difficulty breathing while lying flat, risk of pressure ulcers, limited mobility that requires frequent repositioning, or recovery from surgery or injury that demands an elevated sleeping position.
As of May 2024, Medicare requires a face-to-face encounter with your doctor within six months before the order is written. This visit can happen in person or through telehealth. During the visit, your doctor gathers the clinical details needed to justify the bed: your diagnosis, mobility limitations, and how the bed will help manage your condition. That information goes into your medical record and becomes the supporting documentation for your claim.
The prescription itself must include your name, a description of the bed, your doctor’s name and signature, and the date of the order. Your doctor submits this directly to the DME supplier before the bed can be delivered.
Choose the Right Type of Bed
Hospital beds come in three main configurations, and the right choice depends on how much independence you have and how long you’ll need the bed.
- Manual beds use hand cranks at the foot of the bed to adjust the head, foot, and height positions. They cost $500 to $1,200 if purchased outright and work best for short-term recovery when repositioning needs are minimal. A caregiver typically operates the cranks.
- Semi-electric beds let you raise and lower the head and foot sections with a handheld remote, while overall bed height is still adjusted by a hand crank. They range from $800 to $2,000 and suit patients who are fairly stable but benefit from adjusting their own position throughout the day.
- Fully electric beds control every adjustment through a remote, including bed height. They cost $1,500 to $4,000 or more and are designed for long-term care, patients with limited mobility who can’t shift their own body weight, and elderly patients who need frequent repositioning for comfort or pressure relief.
Your doctor’s prescription will specify the type of bed based on your condition. If you want a fully electric bed but your doctor prescribes a semi-electric one, insurance will only cover what the prescription calls for.
Bariatric and Specialty Beds
Standard hospital beds are typically 36 inches wide and support patients up to around 350 pounds. If you weigh more than that, or have a BMI above 40, you may need a bariatric bed. These wider beds (40 to 50 inches) give caregivers enough room to safely reposition you and reduce the risk of pressure injuries. Research shows that patients with a BMI above 40 who can’t reposition themselves should be on a bed at least 50 inches wide. Getting a bariatric bed approved usually requires additional clinical documentation from your doctor explaining why a standard bed is inadequate.
How Medicare Covers Home Hospital Beds
Medicare Part B covers hospital beds prescribed for home use when they’re medically necessary. You’ll pay the annual Part B deductible ($283 in 2025), then 20% of the Medicare-approved amount for the bed. Medicare picks up the remaining 80%, as long as your doctor and the DME supplier are both enrolled in Medicare and the supplier accepts assignment (meaning they agree to Medicare’s approved price as the full charge).
Medicare generally pays for the bed as a rental. You rent for up to 13 continuous months, at which point ownership transfers to you at no additional cost. During those 13 rental months, your supplier is responsible for all repairs and maintenance. They cannot charge you for service calls, replacement parts, or labor during the rental period.
Once you own the bed, Medicare still covers 80% of repair costs when a professional is needed, as long as the repairs aren’t covered under a manufacturer’s warranty. You pay 20% coinsurance for those repairs. If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, check your plan’s specific rules since coverage details can differ.
Coverage for Veterans
Veterans enrolled in VA health care can receive a fully electric hospital bed at home if they have a permanent or temporary mobility impairment that makes a conventional bed inadequate. The VA covers beds for pressure relief, respiratory support, and positioning needs. Your VA care team writes the prescription through the Prosthetic Service.
If you need a specialized bed beyond the standard fully electric model (such as a bariatric bed or one with advanced features), the request goes through an additional approval process. Your prescribing clinician provides the clinical evidence, and the Prosthetic Service submits a special authorization form to the VA’s central office.
Private Insurance and Out-of-Pocket Options
Most private insurance plans cover home hospital beds under their DME benefit, following similar rules to Medicare: you need a prescription, the bed must be medically necessary, and you’ll likely owe a copay or coinsurance. Call the number on the back of your insurance card and ask specifically about DME coverage, including whether you need to use an in-network supplier.
If you don’t have insurance or your claim is denied, you can purchase or rent a bed directly. Renting typically costs $200 to $500 per month for a semi-electric bed, making it a practical option for short-term needs like post-surgical recovery. Retailers, online medical supply stores, and local DME companies all sell beds at the price ranges listed above. Some nonprofit organizations and community programs also loan hospital beds at no cost, so it’s worth checking with local agencies on aging or disability resource centers.
Finding a DME Supplier and Getting Delivery
Your doctor’s office can often refer you to a DME supplier, or you can search Medicare’s supplier directory at medicare.gov if you’re using Medicare. The key steps once you have a prescription are straightforward: contact the supplier, provide your prescription and insurance information, and schedule delivery. The supplier handles insurance verification and claims submission.
Most suppliers deliver the bed to your home and set it up, including assembling the frame, installing the mattress, and showing you how to use the controls and side rails. Before the delivery crew leaves, make sure you know how to operate the bed’s adjustment features, lock the wheels, and raise and lower the rails. Ask about the process for requesting repairs or replacement parts if something breaks down.
Plan the room in advance. A hospital bed needs about 4 feet of clearance on the side where a caregiver will work, plus access to an electrical outlet for semi-electric and fully electric models. Many families set up the bed on the main floor to avoid stairs, ideally near a bathroom.
What to Do if Your Claim Is Denied
Insurance denials for hospital beds usually come down to insufficient documentation. If your claim is denied, ask your doctor to submit a more detailed letter of medical necessity that clearly explains why a regular bed doesn’t work for your condition. Common reasons that strengthen an appeal include a history of falls getting in and out of bed, active pressure ulcers, a condition that requires the head of the bed to be elevated (like congestive heart failure or severe GERD), or a need for traction equipment that only attaches to a hospital bed frame.
Medicare gives you the right to appeal any denial, and the first level of appeal is a redetermination by the Medicare Administrative Contractor. For private insurance, your plan must outline its appeals process in your benefits documents. Many denials are overturned on appeal when stronger medical documentation is provided.