Can we get a hospital bed for my husband when he returns home from the hospital?

72. Can we get a hospital bed for my husband
when he returns home from the hospital?

Durable medical equipment (sometimes referred to as
“DME”), such as walkers, wheelchairs, bedside commodes,
or hospital beds, can be obtained for long-term
or short-term use from equipment suppliers. Medical
equipment can be delivered to patients’ homes while
they are still in the hospital or after they are discharged.


Durable medical equipment = Equipment such as walkers, 
wheelchairs, bedside commodes, or hospital beds that
can be ordered from equipment suppliers for home use.


Check first with the medical team, however, to make
sure they agree that the equipment is necessary and
appropriate. You will need a doctor’s certification of the
medical need for the equipment in order to get
approval from the insurance company (assuming, of
course, that your policy covers durable medical equipment
in the first place) or to authorize payment to the
equipment company through Medicare or Medicaid.


Medicare = A federally run health insurance program for
those aged 65 years or more, or those on Social Security
Disability, who are legally blind, or on renal dialysis.


Medicaid =  A federal- and statefunded health insurance
program for those on a limited income.

Although there may be other paperwork, usually what’s
required is a written prescription from the doctor for
equipment, much the same as for prescription drugs.

The next step in the process is to have the discharge
planner in the hospital (the social worker or nurse case
manager) forward the prescriptions to an equipment
supply company, who will then make arrangements with
you for delivery. If there are items you desire but are not
covered, you can always buy or rent them yourself.

Patients who have already been discharged home and
afterwards find that they need equipment to help facilitate
their care can contact their home care company
if they are currently receiving nursing visits. They
may be able to have the equipment delivered to the
patient’s home. Or, you should contact the doctor’s
office. The physician can provide you with a prescription
if the patient needs the equipment for medical
reasons. You can then take this prescription to an
equipment supply company.