When someone you love is receiving hospice care at home, a hospital bed can make the days more comfortable for them and more manageable for you. This guide explains what hospice provides, how to ask for a bed, and how to set it up. It’s general information; the hospice team knows the person and makes the care decisions.
Does hospice provide a hospital bed?
Usually, yes. Medicare’s hospice benefit covers the care and equipment needed for the terminal illness and related conditions. Medicare’s hospice booklet lists medical equipment among the services hospice provides (Medicare Hospice Benefits), and Medicare.gov says you pay nothing for hospice care from a Medicare-approved provider (Medicare.gov).
The hospice team decides which equipment is needed. Ask them about the bed, a mattress, and any accessories, rather than ordering from a supplier on your own.
Who is eligible for hospice under Medicare?
According to Medicare.gov, you must have Part A and meet all of these conditions:
- Your hospice doctor and your regular doctor, if you have one, certify that you’re terminally ill, with a life expectancy of 6 months or less.
- You accept comfort care (palliative care) instead of care to cure your illness.
- You sign a statement choosing hospice care instead of other Medicare-covered treatments for the terminal illness and related conditions.
Hospice is provided in benefit periods: two 90-day periods, followed by an unlimited number of 60-day periods. If you have Medicaid, a Medicare Advantage plan, or private insurance, ask the hospice how coverage works for you.
Hospice bed vs other ways to get a bed
| Through hospice | Through Original Medicare (no hospice) | Private rental or purchase | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your cost | Nothing for covered hospice care | Part B deductible plus 20% | Full price |
| Who decides the bed type | Hospice team | Your practitioner, within Medicare’s criteria | You |
| Paperwork | Hospice handles it | Written order and medical records | Minimal |
| Delivery and pickup | Arranged by hospice | Supplier | Seller or rental company |
| Repairs | Hospice and its supplier | Supplier during rental | You, or the rental company |
Not in hospice? See does Medicare cover hospital beds? and free and low-cost hospital beds.
Questions to ask the hospice team
- What type of bed will you provide, and what mattress comes with it?
- Will the bed have rails? If so, which kind, and why?
- Is a pressure-relief mattress appropriate?
- What other equipment will you bring, such as an over-bed table or commode? (Our overbed table guide explains what fits a hospital bed.)
- How soon can it be delivered, and who sets it up?
- Who do we call, day or night, if something stops working?
- What happens to the equipment afterward?
Where to put a hospice bed
Many families put the bed in a main living area rather than an upstairs bedroom, so the person can be near family life, a window, or the garden view they love. Wherever it goes:
- Leave space on both sides so caregivers and nurses can reach the person.
- Keep a clear path to the bed for equipment and visitors.
- Plan for power and light: a grounded outlet near the head of the bed and a soft light for nighttime care.
- Keep the call button or phone within reach.
Our setting up at home guide and room-fit checker help with layout.
Comfort and safety
- Positioning. A hospital bed can raise the head and knees. The hospice nurse can show you how to reposition the person and protect your back.
- Pressure areas. Skin can break down quickly when someone is in bed most of the day. Ask the team about turning schedules and mattress options; see hospital bed mattresses.
- Rails. The FDA lists confusion, restlessness, and lack of muscle control among the factors that raise the risk of entrapment or falls with bed rails, and suggests alternatives such as lowering the bed as close to the floor as possible (FDA). Ask the hospice team what’s right. See hospital bed safety.
- Make the bed feel like theirs. Their own pillows, blankets, photos, and music can make a hospital bed feel more like home.
Support for caregivers
Hospice includes support for families, such as respite care and grief support. If you need help finding local services, the Eldercare Locator (1-800-677-1116) can connect you with your area agency on aging.
How we researched this guide
We used Medicare.gov’s hospice coverage page and the Medicare Hospice Benefits booklet, and the FDA’s bed and bed rail safety pages, checked October 7, 2026. This guide isn’t medical advice; the hospice team makes care decisions.