Today I’m going to share with you Free Hospital Beds for Elderly Guide and How to Apply.
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Free Hospital Beds for Elderly:
If you are senior or elderly citizen than get a hospital bed for free through various government organization like Medicaid, Medicare, Fodac, Med-EQ, Project Cure, Medshare or Salvation Army.
The Healthcare industry has one of the heaviest monetary foundations in the United States of America.
U.S citizens are projected to spend six-point-two trillion dollars on healthcare by 2028 which is an approximate 19.7 percent of the gross national product which speaks volumes about the healthcare costs that citizens are required to pay.
A provision for free hospital beds for elderly is necessary as senior citizens have limited income and movement and it seems like the government’s responsibility to provide them with any aid, at least with their medical expenses as they are more prone and vulnerable to serious health issues.
If you are wondering, where can I get a hospital bed for free, you are at the right place.
This article will guide you through the details of hospital beds, their types, how to get a free hospital bed for elderly using Medicare, Medicaid, private programs like Med-Eq, etc.
How can I get hospital bed for free? Where can I get a free hospital bed?
Is there any organization that provide free beds for senior citizens? Let us find out.
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What Makes Hospital Beds Different from Regular Beds
Before we dive into the various ways of obtaining free hospital beds for elderly, let us first understand what hospital beds are, what makes them different from other beds, their significance in medical procedures, etc.
Hospital beds are designed specifically for medical purposes, their components curated in a way to maintain the particular support prescribed by the particular patient’s doctor. Many medical conditions call for a particular posture or particular positioning of a body part that can be achieved using these beds.
For instance, the patient may be required to elevate their body or head for extended periods of time which cannot be managed by a normal bed. These medical conditions are extremely common in senior citizens which makes the provision of free hospital beds for elderly a great help to them.
As these beds are medical equipment designed and built with different materials and technological and mechanical advancements, they fall under a higher budget window when it comes to their cost which pops the question of how to get a hospital bed for free or at a lower cost in the mind of thousands of people which will be explored in this article.
There are various subtypes of hospital beds, classified on the features and nature of health conditions that they can tend to.
Some of these beds have features added for comfort, these additional features aren’t considered necessary and may not be covered under programs that provide free hospital beds for elderly as the costs of these beds predictably rise with the number of features it provides.
So, before we get into free beds for senior citizens and used hospital beds for free, let us see the variety of hospital beds that exist in today’s market.
The various types of hospital beds are
1. Manual Hospital Beds
Manual Hospital beds, although outdated, are the most commonly provided beds by programs that work on obtaining and distributing free hospital beds for elderly.
These beds work on the principles of manual mechanism. The bed has a turning crank that needs to be operated using force to make adjustments to the bed. These beds require the presence of another person or a caregiver, who needs to be physically apt to use the crank.
2. Semi-Electric Hospital Beds
To reduce the manual labour that goes into the manual beds (discussed above), they have been updated with better features which have led to the production of semi-electric hospital beds which utilize an electric motor to control the posture of the bed in terms of the head and foot portions, the height still needs to be dealt with using a manual hand crank.
Semi-electric hospital beds may or may not be covered under medical plans that provide free hospital beds for elderly.
3. Fully Electric hospital Beds
The most advanced hospital beds in terms of technological aspects are the fully electric ones. These beds can be operated by the patient himself/herself even if they have minimum sense and control.
The patient can control the bed’s particulars like its position and height using a remote control. As fully electric hospital beds have a lot of features that have been designed to step things up from the bare necessities, these are generally never a part of programs that provide free hospital beds for elderly,
4. Heavy-duty hospital Beds
These hospital beds are devised on the foundation that people with larger sizes or weight can adjust to hospital beds with ease as well.
These heavy-duty hospital beds are further divided into two:
- A heavy-duty extra-wide hospital that accommodated patients in the 300lb to 600lb weight.
- Extra heavy-duty hospital beds on the other hand are for people over the 600lb weight criteria.
These heavy-duty hospital beds are a necessity for patients belonging to the higher weight scale criteria. Make sure to specify your needs in your application and programs will mostly provide you with heavy-duty hospital beds under their scheme of free hospital beds for elderly. Let us finally look into free beds for senior citizens!
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Ways to Get Free Hospital Beds for Elderly
Get a Hospital Bed for Free Through Medicaid
Where can I get a free hospital bed? The first organization that comes to mind at the thought of free beds for senior citizens is Medicaid.
Medicaid is a joint federal and state program that provides free hospital beds for elderly. As the medical aspects and needs for every state are not constant, each state runs its own version of the program setting eligibility and provision, within the guidelines already stated by the federal government for medical equipment including hospital beds.
Each state has a Medicaid state plan and some also have a home and community-based services, acronymed as HCBS Medicaid Waivers. Both these plans try to help medically ailing elderly by providing them with the required resources so they don’t have to turn to nursing homes if they don’t want to.
They provide resources in various ways, some of them being free medicines and drugs, cover for lengthy life-dependent operations, and free hospital beds for elderly.
If you are wondering, “where can I get a hospital bed for free”, you should definitely explore Medicaid as an option as they most often cover durable medical equipment (DME) which include hospital beds as well.
These free hospital beds for elderly are only provided to those whose medical situation has been written off by a physician as a condition that medically requires a hospital bed.
So, how to get a free hospital bed through Medicaid?
Apply for Medicaid through either of the following methods to get a chance of getting free hospital beds for elderly:
- By contacting your state Medicaid agency
- Filling out an application through Health Insurance Marketplace
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Get a Hospital Bed for Free Through Medicare
Let us see how we can get free beds for senior citizens.
Free hospital beds for elderly (who qualify the eligibility criteria) are paid for fully or partially by Medicare Part B.
Medicare Part B has a Durable Medical Equipment policy (DME policy covers medical equipment that can be reused) that provides partial coverage to its people who have been deemed to require a hospital bed at home.
Now the question arises of how to get a hospital bed for free using Medicare and a doctor to write the medical eligibility criteria. The deeming of the necessity of a hospital bed must be done through A Medicare-enrolled doctor who prescribes it for use in a patients’ home.
So, search the Medicare-enrolled doctors in your area and get your eligibility check. Here is your chance to get a free electric bed and other types of free beds for senior citizens.
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Does Medicare Cover Hospital Beds? If Yes, Then How Much
How much do you get off hospital beds using Medicaid? How to get a hospital bed for free?
Medicare plans pay for eighty percent of the price for a hospital bed prescribed by a Medicare-enrolled doctor for home use. The remaining twenty percent needs to be covered by the patients themselves either on their own or by using some supplementary insurance.
If twenty percent is paid using medigap, then one can get absolutely free hospital beds for elderly. But one needs to meet their Medicare Part B deductible.
If you qualify for getting the hospital bed, Medicare goes forward and additionally helps in covering some bed accessories as well. These accessories include mattress covers, trapeze bars so the patient doesn’t develop bedsores and other forms of discomfort due to the equipment itself.
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How to Get a Hospital Bed for Free for a Small Period of Time
How can I get a hospital bed for free for rent?
If you have a short-term requirement for a hospital bed, you need not buy it. It is wiser to rent out hospital beds and other DMEs as they are expensive products. Medicare even assists monetarily in renting hospital beds. If you rent a hospital bed after 13 months, the individual can own the bed.
Whether it is renting or buying, Medicare doesn’t cover fully electric beds (Types of hospital beds described above) as it only assists in providing the bare necessities of the patient.
But if you still want a free hospital bed for elderly that is fully electric, then you can pay the cost difference between the Medicare provided manual bed and an electric one.
Where can I get a free hospital bed for rent?
In order to get free hospital beds for elderly patients through Medicare, it is crucial that the bed supplier also be Medicare approved as a bed purchased through any other local supplier will receive no coverage through any Medicare programs.
To find Medicare-approved supplier to get free hospital beds for elderly, either
a. Open the following link
Medicare Medical Equipment Suppliers
The website will ask you to search via your zip code and the equipment you are looking for and will provide you with a list of feasible options for your situation.
b. Give a call on the number: 1-800-633-4227.
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How to Get a Hospital Bed for Free Through Medicare Advantage Plans
How to get hospital bed for free using government advantage plans?
Medicare Advantage plans provide free hospital beds for the elderly as well with numerous other benefits! Medicare Advantage plans are alternatives to Original Medicare.
They are provided by private insurance companies and have gained a lot of attraction as they provide much wider medical coverage than the original Medicare plans.
In recent years, 414 new plans became a part of Medicare advantage which widens the options for a consumer greatly. It has saved a lot of enrollees significant chunks of money.
To be eligible for getting free hospital beds for elderly through Medicare advantage plans, you need to qualify the same eligibility bar set for original Medicare (Parts A and B).
People suffering from ESRD or End-stage renal diseases face a disadvantage as they are generally not enrolled in Medicare advantage plans but they always have the option to enrol in original Medicare programs and apply for free hospital beds for elderly.
ESRD patients can browse through specialized plans for them under Medicare through their official website.
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How to Get a Hospital Bed for Free Through State-Funded Non-Medicaid Programs
How can I get a hospital bed for free without using Medicaid? Is there any other government program that gives out free beds for senior citizens?
Some state governments have plans other than Medicaid or Medicaid-assisted ones that provide free hospital beds for elderly and other DMEs. But these programs are extremely diversified in each state. To obtain free hospital beds for elderly, generally, grants are provided to the applicant.
An individual can contact the state or local government through their website, office or any other feasible way and they will brief you about the resources that can help you understand how to get a hospital bed for free.
The applicants generally have to provide an application form explaining their medical need for the grant.
The state governments are provided with a certain number of grants (that include medical grants) by the federal government to ensure the welfare of its citizens.
State governments don’t disclose the grants and their amounts to their citizens as they may or may not be enough for everyone who needs it.
But these numbered grants do try to provide used yet free hospital beds for elderly who need them the most.
The states may provide these grants as loans to buy medical equipment like hospital beds or just provide them absolutely free hospital beds for elderly whose situation really calls for these grants, but these choices completely lay in the hands of the state government.
But it is still a good option to explore state-funded aids if you are looking for medical assistance or free hospital beds for elderly. Reach out, fill in the application form and make sure that your situation is depicted as direly as the reality and then wait for a response.
Look into free electric hospital beds, used hospital beds for free as well as other facilities today!
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Get a Free Hospital Bed Through Fodac
How to get hospital bed for free through FODAC? What exactly is FODAC?
FODAC or friends of disabled adults and children is a non-profit organization that tries to provide comfort for the disabled to any extent they can. They also provide good-quality free hospital beds for elderly.
The free hospital beds provided by them are reliable and safe. They have been providing free hospital beds for elderly for more than twenty-five years.
If you are wondering, how can I find free used hospital beds near me, FODAC may help you with that as well. They provide used but free hospital beds for elderly that are sanitized and clean so there are no risks for infections.
There is a possibility of less resources in the hands of FODAC as they are a nationwide foundation and depend on donations for their assets. So, there is a first come first serve approach when it comes to the distribution of free hospital beds for elderly.
Reach out to FODAC centres through online or offline methods and enquire about the provision and application process for getting free hospital beds for elderly. You are required to carry and provide your driver’s licence, state ID and your Medicaid or Medicare care if you have one when you fill out your application for free hospital beds for elderly.
These hospital beds are required to be picked up from FODAC centres or they may be delivered to your doorstep on a minimal delivery charge. Look into these free beds for senior citizens!
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Get a Free Hospital Bed Through Med-EQ
How can I get a hospital for free using Med-Eq?
Med-Eq is another charity organization that tries to provide assistance to the needy and they cover medical needs in their programs as well. They connect donors to nonprofits and needy families.
If you are scouting for free hospital beds for elderly, you can enter your particulars and requirements alongside your medical conditions and reason for requirement on their official website.
They additionally ask you to fill in your location and personal information so they can get you in touch with the right charity near you. Using their online portal, you can find local organizations that provide free hospital beds for elderly and let you apply for free!
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Get a Free Hospital Bed Through Project Cure
Where can I get a free hospital bed? Project oversees!
Project CURE oversees a cargo program that delivers numerous semi-trailer-sized cargo containers filled with medical equipment to hospitals that are facing scarcity and cutbacks in their resources. So, how to get a free hospital bed through a cargo program?
Project CURE has six large distribution centres across the U.S. and you can reach out to any of them for assistance. If they have hospital beds in their lot of resources, they will check your eligibility and ask you to come and collect your hospital bed.
If possible, for them, Project CURE provides free hospital beds for elderly alongside a tax deduction receipt for the same.
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Get a Hospital Bed for Free Through Medshare
Searching, “Free used hospital beds near me”?
Medshare can help! Medshare is a non-profit organization that provides used but free hospital beds for elderly. Like it’s name suggests, it believes in sharing of medical resources.
They can be described as a humanitarian aid organization that acquires surplus medical equipment and supplies it to other medical organizations that are facing scarcity for the same. You can get free hospital beds for elderly through Medshare by going on their website and applying for the same.
Look into their free beds for senior citizens and apply today!
Get a Hospital Bed for Free Through the Salvation Army
One of the most famous non-profit organizations in the US is The Salvation Army and alongside other programs that they run; they also provide free hospital beds for elderly who are not able to afford the high expenditure for the same.
How to get hospital bed for free through The Salvation Army?
To get the said free hospital beds for elderly, contact the salvation army closest to you and fill an application form, submit the requirements documents. If the centre has hospital beds and you qualify their eligibility criteria, you will receive a hospital bed free of cost!
Get a Hospital Bed for Free If You Are a Veteran
How can I get a hospital bed for free as a veteran?
DMEs like hospital beds are provided to veterans through The Department of Veterans Affairs if their applicant has been deemed for the need of a hospital bed at home by a doctor.
Free hospital beds for veterans are also provided or aided by TFL or Tricare for life which is supplemental medical insurance specially for retired veterans. It helps cover the self-payment fraction of the hospital i.e., the 20% copayment that Medicare asks for while providing free hospital beds for elderly.
Another program that provides similar help is CHAMPVA for life but it specially caters to spouses who are 65 or more of veterans who have either been killed or permanently disabled during their time of service.
These programs help obtain free hospital beds for elderly (for the veteran or spouse) by providing financial help for both buying and renting if and only if you have a prescription that validates your need for the bed by a doctor.
What about those who are unable to get deemed?
The Veteran-Directed Home And community-based services programs also known as VD-HCBS where they can apply for beds as they cover free hospital beds for veterans who fail to produce a prescription.
Many states also have programs specially for veterans and their families like Project MEND of Texas and provide free hospital beds for elderly vets alongside mattresses to the qualifying veterans and their spouses.
How can I get a free hospital bed as a Veteran? Do I have other options?
Some additional resources have been explored below
- Tax Deductions
This may not directly provide free hospital beds for elderly but they do help those who pay for hospital beds from their own pocket. If someone buys a hospital bed, they can make a deduction from their federal income taxes for the first year of purchase.
“Free used hospital beds near me” through popular websites
Used hospital beds are a great way of saving up money. Websites like eBay and Craigslist also have listings for hospital beds. You can browse through the Facebook marketplace and Reddit groups and you may stumble across someone willing to give away a hospital bed for free due to sentimental reasons as well.
Asking around your local community and church may also connect you to a seller and you may end up receiving a free hospital bed for elderly citizens!
- Renting Free Hospital Beds for Elderly
Where can I get a free hospital bed for a short period of time?
If you are looking for hospital beds for short periods of time, spending a huge chunk of money on buying them doesn’t make sense. Luckily many institutions rent hospital beds, manual, semi-electric and fully electric ones, depending on the renter.
Many nonprofits that provide free hospital beds for elderly also provide rental assistance for medical equipment. These organizations mainly rely on donations from people who don’t need them anymore. But not to worry, all items are thoroughly cleaned, repaired and sanitized before being given.
- Approval and Acceptance Rate for Free Hospital Beds for Elderly
It generally isn’t that hard to get deemed eligible for programs that provide free hospital beds for elderly. If you meet the criteria, getting an eligibility certificate is really easy.
The doctor gets paid when he or she prescribes a hospital bed. If doctors withhold a rightful prescription, they can lose their medical license.
- Downside of Programs That Provide Free Hospital Beds for Elderly
Programs like Medicare and Medicaid only provide bare minimum necessities which are beds on the lower price range and therefore the quality of the free hospital beds for elderly provided by them. The selection of hospital beds is extremely low.
Some seniors can’t afford caregivers and would rather prefer semi-electric or fully electric ones that they can handle on their own but they are rarely to never covered by these programs.
Every program that provides free hospital beds for elderly is highly competitive and cannot assure you of getting a bed. So it is advisable to fill application forms for all the programs of free beds for senior citizens that you meet the eligibility criteria for and hope for the best!
Frequently Asked Questions
Some frequently asked questions regarding free hospital beds for elderly have been answered below:
Does Medicaid Cover Hospital Beds
Yes, Medicaid covers Durable Medical Equipment that can be defined as equipment that can be reused. Hospital beds are one of them!
How Much Money Can I Have in My Bank Account to Avail Medicaid Facilities?
To get free hospital beds for elderly using Medicaid, one shouldn’t have more than two thousand dollars in terms of countable assets.
How Do I Get a Hospital Bed Provided by Medicare at Home?
If you qualify for free hospital beds for elderly for your home, go forward and read your guide on how to get a hospital bed at home under Medicare part B to find assistance for the same.
If I Get a Free Hospital Bed for Elderly in My Family Using Medicaid, Will They Replace My Mattress from Time to Time?
Medicare only replaces the mattress and other components in hospital beds if you’ve had it for all it’s lifetime. You will not get a full replacement of an item until after five years of possession.
Can I Apply for Medicare Part B and Medicare Advantage Plans Simultaneously?
No, medicare advantage plans are an alternative to regular medicare programs. You can only apply in one.
Will CHAMPVA Provide Hospital Beds for a Veteran’s Distant Relative?
CHAMPVA only provides medical assistance to spouses of veterans who have either died or been severely injured during their time of duty.
Will My Local Church Provide Free Hospital Beds for Elderly?
Not all churches have hospital beds at their disposal but many try to contribute by providing financial aid from their donations. But these plans are very diversified as each church and it’s assistance branch works differently.
Can I Get Assistance While Paying the Twenty Percent for the Medicaid Provided Free Hospital Bed for Elderly?
Of course, you can. Medigap covers the copayment amount for these hospital beds and there are many other schemes that will also provide financial assessment for the same, for example, TFL (discussed above, when it comes to free hospital beds for veterans).
Are the Free Hospital Beds for Elderly Provided by Non-Government Organizations Safe to Use?
Yes, many non-profit organizations like FODAC (discussed above) have been providing medical equipment for years. Research about the organization in detail and try to connect with someone who has already availed of their services to make sure you aren’t getting scammed.
Is It Safe to Buy or Rent Used Hospital Beds?
Yes absolutely. Hospital beds fall under the umbrella of DMEs of durable medical equipment which means they can be reused. Institutions that provide used hospital beds clean and fix them thoroughly before they sell or rent it again.
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Ending the Article:
You can get one of the free beds for senior citizens if your approach is right!
Provision of affordable or free hospital beds for elderly is crucial and despite the heavy competition, there is, you can most definitely get your hands on some financial aid if not a fully functioning free hospital bed for elderly in your home.
The government is working towards broadening their existing programs that provide medical assistance and building new ones so everyone can get medical attention irrespective of their financial background.
More and more nonprofits and charities are also picking up on the lack of proper medical assistance available for senior citizens and have started their donations and grants so they can help in their own ways, some even going as high as gathering used equipment and providing free hospital beds for the elderly.
If you are a vet and looking for medical equipment, identify your special facilities as a perk for your assistance to the country and additionally apply to the many facilities that exclusively overlook free hospital beds for veterans.
Everyone, by either providing used medical equipment that they don’t need anymore, donating to local charities that provide free hospital beds for the elderly, promoting local nonprofits that help senior citizens or any other way so that there is a way to get help for anyone who needs it.