Hospital Bed Rental In Pennsylvania

Close up of a hospital bed with blue sheets

Choosing the Right Hospital Bed

There are many options when it comes to hospital bed rentals, but selecting the right one is an important task. You want to make sure it is both comfortable and functional for your needs.

As you look at the specific bed types, you should consider what features are necessary. Do you need a bed with electric controls or do you need a specialty bed, like one with air flotation? Determining your exact needs will help you decide which bed to choose and if it will be covered with your insurance.

Continue reading to learn about your options and the different available bed types and accessories offered by Vantage Home Medical.

Manual/Fixed Hospital Beds with/without variable height feature

A manual hospital bed without variable height feature (also known as a fixed height hospital bed) may be considered medically necessary when any ONE of the following criteria are met:

  • The patient's condition requires positioning of the body, e.g., to alleviate pain, promote good body alignment, prevent contractures and/or avoid respiratory infections, in ways not feasible in an ordinary bed; or 
  • The patient's condition requires special attachments that cannot be fixed and used on an ordinary bed; or 
  • The patient requires the head of the bed to be elevated more than 30 degrees most of the time due to congestive heart failure, chronic pulmonary disease, or problems with aspiration. Pillows or wedges must have been considered.

A manual hospital bed with a variable height feature may be considered medically necessary when BOTH of the following conditions are met:

  • The patient meets one of the criteria for a fixed height hospital bed; and 
  • The patient requires a bed height different than a fixed height bed to permit transfers to a chair, wheelchair or standing position.

A manual hospital bed will deny as non-covered when above criteria are not met.

Procedure Codes

E0250 E0251 E0255 E0256 E0290 E0291 E0292 E0293

Semi-Electric Hospital Beds

A semi-electric hospital bed may be considered medically necessary when ALL of the following criteria are met:

  • The patient meets all requirements for a standard hospital bed; and
  • The patient's condition requires frequent and/or immediate change in body position (i.e., no delay can be tolerated); and 
  • The patient can operate the controls themselves, with the exception of spinal cord disease or injury, or brain damaged patients. 
  • Semi-electric beds will deny as non-covered when above criteria are not met. 
  • A semi-electric hospital bed which is provided and/or prescribed because of the absence or inability of a person caring for the patient, for aesthetic reasons, or for added convenience will be denied as non-covered. When a semi-electric hospital bed is provided but is not prescribed by the patient's physician, the claim should be processed for the type of bed that was prescribed. 
  • A power chair conversion feature is not covered because it is considered a convenience feature. (e.g. The Total Care Bariatric Bed is an example of an electric bed with an electric chair positioning feature.) and will therefore be denied as non-covered. 
  • Full payment should not be made for a Franklin Electric Hospital bed. Payment should be based on whichever hospital bed above satisfies the patient's medical needs. In all cases, verify medical necessity for such features with the medical staff.

Procedure Codes

E0260 E0261 E0294 E0295

Total Electric Beds

A total electric bed is not covered; the height and adjustment feature is a convenience feature and therefore will be denied as non-covered.

Procedure Codes

E0265 E0266 E0296 E0297



A blue pressure air mattress with gentle low air loss

Powered Air Flotation Beds (Low Air Loss Therapy)

Powered air flotation beds may be considered medically necessary for patients in the third or fourth stages of decubitus ulceration and who meet all of the requirements for a manual hospital bed. Beds under the brand name of Flexicair should be denied as non-covered for home use because they are considered institutional equipment, inappropriate for home use. The appropriateness of all other brands of powered air flotation beds for use in the home must be established on an individual consideration basis. Power Air Flotation Beds (Low Air Loss Therapy) will deny a non-covered when the above criteria are not met.

Procedure Codes

E0193

Air-Fluidized Beds (Bead Bed)

Use of air-fluidized beds, for treatment of pressure sores may be considered medically necessary for ALL of the following conditions:

  • The patient has a stage 3 (full thickness tissue loss) or stage 4 (deep tissue destruction) pressure sore; and 
  • The patient is bedridden or chair bound as a result of severely limited mobility; and 
  • In the absence of an air-fluidized bed, the patient would require institutionalization; and 
  • The air-fluidized bed is ordered in writing by the patient's attending physician based upon a comprehensive assessment and evaluation of the patient after conservative treatment has been tried without success; and 
  • A trained adult caregiver is available to assist the patient with activities of daily living, fluid balance, dry skin care, repositioning, recognition and management of altered mental status, dietary needs, prescribed treatments, and management and support of the air-fluidized bed system and potential problems such as leakage; and
  • A physician directs the home treatment regimen and reevaluates and recertifies the need for the air-fluidized bed on a monthly basis; and 
  • All other alternative equipment has been considered and ruled out.

An Air-Fluidized Bed (Bead Bed) will deny as non-covered when above the criteria are not met.

Procedure Codes

E0194

Institutional Beds

The following beds are considered institutional hospital beds and not suitable for home use and will therefore will be denied as non-covered:

  • Oscillating Bed; or 
  • Stryker Frame; or 
  • Springbase Bed; or 
  • Circulating Bed; or 
  • Rotational Beds; or 
  • Cage Beds.

Procedure Codes

E0270

A pink/white pediatric hospital bed

Fully Enclosed Pediatric Cribs or Pediatric Hospital Beds with 360 Side Enclosures

A fully enclosed pediatric crib (manual or electric) or a pediatric hospital bed (manual or electric) with 360 side enclosures may be considered medically necessary following a medical review. A fully enclosed pediatric crib bed not meeting patient criteria will be denied as not medically necessary.

Procedure Codes
E0300 E0328 E0329

A man in striped pajamas getting out of a hospital bed

Safety Beds

A safety bed (manual or electric) may be considered medically necessary for the primary indication of a patient's safety in the home if medical review determines that the patient's condition is so severe that they are prone to injury without use of the safety bed. Any claims for a safety bed not meeting the patient criteria will be denied not as medically necessary.

Procedure Codes
E1399

Heavy Duty Hospital Beds

A heavy duty extra wide hospital bed is considered medically necessary when ALL of the following criteria have been met:

  • If patient has met one of the criteria for a fixed height hospital bed; and 
  • The patient's weight is more than 350 pounds but does not exceed 600 pounds.

A heavy duty extra wide hospital bed is considered medically necessary when ALL of the following criteria have been met:

  • Patient has met one of the criteria for a fixed height hospital bed; and 
  • The patient’s weight exceeds 600 pounds. Heavy duty hospital beds will be denied as non-covered when the above criteria is not met.

Procedure Codes
E0301 E0302 E0303 E0304

Medical Bed Mattress

A mattress is considered medically necessary only when a hospital bed has been determined medically necessary. (Separate charge for replacement mattress should not be allowed when a hospital bed is rented.) If a member's condition requires a replacement innerspring mattress or foam rubber mattress, it will be considered medically necessary for a member-owned hospital bed.

Procedure Codes
E0184 E0185 E0186 E0187 E0196 E0197 E0198 E0199 E0271 E0272 E0277 E0371 E0372 E0373

Bed Accessories

The following hospital bed-accessories may be considered medically necessary when a hospital bed has been determined medically necessary:

  • Bed cradles: as long as the cradles are not used as a personal comfort item. 
  • Bed pans: if the patient is bed confined. 
  • Bed rails: only when the rails are an integral part of a hospital bed. 
  • Bed pads: disposable pads and reusable pads. 
  • Safety Enclosure Frame/Canopy for Use with Hospital Bed, any type: Refer ALL claims for Medical Review. 
  • Trapeze bars/bases: if the member is bed-confined and needs a trapeze bar to sit up because of respiratory conditions, to change body position for other medical reasons, or to get in and out of bed. Built-in Weight Scale*.

    *A hospital bed with a built-in scale is considered medically necessary ONLY for non-ambulatory individuals who require periodic weight measurements.

Procedure Codes
A4640 E0181 E0273 E0275 E0276 E0280 E0305 E0310 E0316 E0910 E0911 E0912 E0940

The following accessories and related items are non-covered as they are considered comfort or convenience items and therefore will denied as non-covered:

Bed baths; or Bed boards; or Bed lifter; or Bed lounge; or Over bed tables.

Procedure Codes
E0273 E0274 E0315 A9286

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