Picking A Special Needs Bed Covered By Insurance
Picking a special needs bed can feel overwhelming. You’ll find numerous options in the market, and many of them are expensive—much more expensive than a traditional mattress set. Fortunately, you can find a special needs bed covered by insurance to assist in your purchase.
But before you purchase a bed with the help of your insurance company, it’s important to have an understanding of the insurance process and the options available to you.
Why Would You Want Insurance For A Special Needs Bed?
Traditional mattresses and bed sets are expensive, with premium options often costing thousands of dollars. Special needs beds, which are carefully designed for a combination of comfort and medical care, can be just as costly to manufacture. In severe cases, some beds are even designed for use in long-term hospital settings, meaning they need to withstand heavy ongoing wear and tear.
But because special needs safety beds are often medically prescribed and medically necessary, your insurance company can help offset the costs. In some cases, you can purchase a multi-thousand-dollar safety bed without paying out of pocket!
Using Insurance to Pay for A Special Needs Bed
The insurance process for purchasing a special needs bed can feel intimidating. After all, a special needs bed isn’t like a pill you can pick up at your local pharmacy.
Instead, the process requires involving the bed manufacturer, a local durable medical equipment (DME) provider, your doctor or team of specialists, and your insurance provider.
The manufacturer should introduce you to a local DME, your doctor or specialists should assist in writing a prescription and letters of medical necessity, and you’ll need to send everything (along with your own letter of medical necessity) to the insurance company to increase your chances for approval.
Read our article on special needs bed insurance coverage to learn more.
Questions to Consider
If you’re thinking about purchasing a special needs bed with insurance, consider the features you actually need. Understanding your requirements will help you narrow your choices and be as specific as possible with your insurance. For example, consider the following questions:
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How big should the bed be? Some special needs bed manufacturers specialize in beds that accommodate single- or twin-sized mattresses, which may not be sufficient for your loved one.
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What sort of safety features do you require? Do you need a side railing? Do you need mesh walls? Do you need a viewport window for a camera?
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What sort of medical features do you require? Do you need special ports for medical wires or IV drips? Does the bed need to accommodate powered lifts?
- Does the bed need to be mobile? Do you need wheels to push the bed from one room to another? Do you need to be able to pack the bed away for overnight trips?
Answering these questions should assist you as you explore some of the most popular special needs beds on the market.
Options for Special Needs Beds Covered By Insurance
Here are some of the most common choices when it comes to special needs beds covered by insurance:
1. The Safety Sleeper®
The Safety Sleeper® is a fully enclosed safety bed specifically designed for children with special needs, especially those on the autism spectrum and also kids with Angelman Syndrome, Smith-Magenis Syndrome, and others.
The fully enclosed design helps children feel safe and secure, which helps them fall asleep faster while also preventing them from dangerous nighttime wandering.
Intended to help families on the go, The Safety Sleeper® packs away into its own suitcase so families can take it overnight to the hospital, a hotel, or to a relative’s house.
And because The Safety Sleeper® is available in a variety of models, it can suit a variety of medical needs, including ports for medical intervention and even mechanical lifts to help get your loved one into and out of bed. Plus, mattresses are available in a wide range of sizes, ensuring your Safety Sleeper® can accommodate your loved one as they grow.
Unlike other special needs beds, The Safety Sleeper® is relatively affordable, often running under $4,000 for the base model before insurance assistance.
2. The Pedicraft Canopy Bed
Like The Safety Sleeper®, the Pedicraft Canopy Bed was designed for children with special medical issues, and because the mattress options are roughly the equivalent of a single or twin mattress, it’s best suited for young children.
Without insurance, the price of a Pedicraft Canopy Bed can feel prohibitive. Many options for the Pedicraft Canopy Bed start at $8,000, which is out of reach for some families without financial assistance.
The Pedicraft Canopy Bed does have an extremely sturdy design and extra medical features, so it is a good option for long-term stays that require significant medical intervention.
See how the Pedicraft Canopy Bed compares to The Safety Sleeper® to learn more.
3. The Posey Bed
The Posey Bed is a prescription safety bed commonly used in hospitals, home care settings, and senior living facilities for patients who are at greater risk of falls or becoming severely injured in a fall, making it an ideal solution for adults and children with behavioral, mental, or motor issues.
This is a durable medical bed intended for long-term use, so it is not travel-friendly, but its wheels do make it easy to roll from one room to another.
Like the Pedicraft Canopy Bed, the Posey Bed can feel cost prohibitive without insurance, as many models intended for medical facilities often cost around $15,000 or more.
See how the Posey Bed compares to The Safety Sleeper® to learn more.
