Sometime people with medical conditions or seniors may need an adjustable bed for their independence and comfort at home, but finding means of paying for it can be tricky. One may wonder whether Medicare can cover these kinds of beds.
Medicare Part B covers part of the cost of adjustable beds
The answer to that is yes. Medicare Part B covers renting or purchase of adjustable beds for one to use at home, provided the bed will be considered medically necessary and recommended by a doctor. Usually, adjustable beds are categorized as durable medical equipment, and as a result, they are covered through Medicare Part B alongside other kinds of DMEs such as wheelchairs and crutches, among others.
The secret behind it is to get a DME supplier that can accept Medicare as a form of payment for its products. If you get one that does accept Medicare, then you will have cut the cost and will only pay 20% of the adjustable bed’s cost while the rest is covered by Medicare insurance. Interestingly with a Medicare Supplement plan, one can have the full cost of the adjustable bed covered since it covers the Part B deductible as well as the 20% coinsurance.
Requirements to meet for Medicare to pay for your adjustable bed
Although Medicare can pay for adjustable beds, some requirements should be fulfilled for one to qualify. The first requirement is that it has to be considered medically necessary to have an adjustable bed at home. Therefore a physician has to prescribe the adjustable bed for medical purposes for use at home.
Once you have obtained the prescription from the doctor, you then have to source the bed from and approved Medicare suppliers. It is important to note that not all DME suppliers accept Medicare coverage. After meeting all the requirements, you should be aware that only part of the cost will be covered, and it is upon the patient to meet the remaining cost or a second medical cover to partially pay for the bed. Unfortunately, Medicare does not cover adjustable beds that are fully electric.
Where do you get adjustable beds?
Once it has been deemed medically necessary, accredited Medicare suppliers can then fulfill the order to supply the adjustable bed. The contracted Medicare suppliers will help in cutting costs, and the price that the cover will settle is always pre-set by parties involved.
If you buy an adjustable bed from a supplier that is not accredited by Medicare, then it will not be covered. Sometimes suppliers and medical companies can mislead individuals into purchasing DMEs from them even though they are not accredited suppliers. It might be because of the sales representative mistaking the service to be offered when it not, or some might be targeting more sales. The most important thing to do is always to contact Medicare for direct pre-authorization.
When does Medicare not cover adjustable beds?
Just because a physician indicates that it is important to acquire an adjustable bed, it doesn’t mean that you will automatically receive approval to get one. The physician’s findings are necessary for the patient to receive approval for Medicare to pay for the bed. However, it is important to note that DMEs are not the same.
Some of the types of DME will not be approved, and thus Medicare will not pay. This is the same with medical prescriptions whereby some will receive approval while others may not. Therefore don’t assume that Medicare covers all adjustable beds, and it is good to confirm from the website.
