Medicare covers home hospital beds when medically necessary with a doctor’s order. Medicare Part B covers 80% of the cost, while Medicare Advantage (Part C) may cover more.

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 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 must order the bed and show how it will help your condition.

Medicare pays for all medical equipment, including hospital beds, under Medicare Part B. Part B will pay 80% of the cost of your hospital bed.

You might be able to get more coverage if you have a Medigap or Medicare Advantage plan.

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 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.
  • Your doctor orders the bed for home use.
  • Your doctor’s order includes your condition and why a hospital bed will help you.
  • Your doctor participates in Medicare.
  • The equipment provider participates in Medicare.

Medicare can provide coverage for you to either rent or buy a bed.

Whether you rent or buy will depend on the type of bed your doctor orders and the policies of the company you use. You might also rent a bed at first and then purchase it if you still need it later.

Medicare Advantage

You can also get coverage for a hospital bed at home through a Medicare Advantage (Part C) plan. These plans are offered by private companies that contract with Medicare and are required to provide the same coverage as Original Medicare.

Since Original Medicare covers hospital beds, all Advantage plans will also cover hospital beds. They may also cover such beds under additional conditions beyond what Original Medicare covers.

To qualify for a hospital bed, you’ll need a doctor’s prescription and supporting documents showing the bed is medically necessary.

This can be due to your needing specific positioning for pain relief, proper alignment, stiffness prevention, or reduction of respiratory risk. Another qualifying reason is if you are living with a condition that requires special attachments that cannot be added to an ordinary bed.

If you need any special attachments to your bed, your doctor should include this in the documentation. Qualifying conditions that may get you approved for a hospital bed at home include:

  • severe arthritis
  • severe bone fractures
  • heart disease that prevents you from making quick movements
  • spinal cord injuries
  • limb amputations

Medicare may also cover a bed under additional conditions if they qualify. Any bed you order needs to be related to your condition. For example, to get approved for a bariatric bed, you’ll need to send a medically documented recent weight.

Medicare covers several types of hospital beds. For example, it may cover an adjustable bed if it can be adjusted at the head or foot, allowing you to elevate different body parts as needed.

Other beds Medicare may pay for include some types of electric beds or extra-wide hospital beds.

It may also cover some expenses of upgrading your bed, such as adding an air-fluidized mattress, a gel pressure mattress pad, or a more comfortable sheepskin pad. Another example is a trapeze pull bar that helps you sit up in bed.

The cost of a hospital bed depends on the type of bed your doctor orders. According to Consumer Affairs, hospital bed costs are around $500 and can often reach thousands of dollars. When you rent a hospital bed, you can spend between $200 and $500 monthly, depending on the bed type.

In 2025, after you’ve met the annual Part B deductible of $257, Part B will pay for 80% of the purchase cost.

If you rent the bed, Medicare will cover its portion of your monthly payments, while the supplier will handle any repair costs for 13 months of continuous use. After that period, the supplier will transfer the ownership of the bed to you.

So, let’s say your doctor orders a bed for $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.

Medigap and Medicare Advantage

If you have a Medigap plan, this supplemental plan can help you cover some of your out-of-pocket costs from Part B, such as your 20% coinsurance amount.

Note that if you’re insured by Medicare Advantage (Part C), you cannot use Medigap, which is only intended to cover the costs of Original Medicare (parts A and B). In addition, your costs will depend on your plan, as each Part C plan has its own copayment or coinsurance amounts.

There are some resources that may help reduce the cost of your hospital bed even after Medicare coverage kicks in. These include:

In addition, consider getting a second-hand hospital bed. Some people may advertise a bed they no longer need on websites like eBay or Facebook marketplace. There are also organizations and charities that collect donations of used hospital beds.

These include:

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 for different conditions. Your doctor must specify your condition and why a hospital bed will help it.

Medicare will pay for you to buy or rent a bed. Original Medicare will pay 80% of the costs. A Medicare Advantage or Medigap plan might cover more.