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My dad's medical bed broke and won't rise, and he is in his 90's. My mom recently passed and I am upset how things went with her care because I realized too late that her swallowing issue was not dementia but probably GERD related because she could swallow fine depending on what time she was eating. Strange right? And hospice was only stuck on "it's the progression of the disease" But that is another story... back to the bed... The heartache of her last week and then her passing felt worse when a few days later, my dad's own bed stopped lowering at the head. It made my life more manageable to keep the wheelchair for him and the bed like the driver said. He said it is ours. The insurance which is a Medicare advantage has no record of monthly charges on their records when I contacted them by phone. What does that mean? I have not checked the old monthly statements yet. If Medicare keeps buying new ones because they have suppliers that rely on Medicare to stay in business, then Medicare would simply order new beds for each hospice patient. If they clean them and reuse for a next patient, Medicare would not show an expense for it right? It would make my life easy if I can keep it for my dad.

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We couldn't know the answer to this. You will have to check with hospice entities.
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Keep checking like you are doing now because the difference with your post is that a different company is being used by the hospice according to your post.

When my mother passed, they came out a few days later and got every bit of equipment down to the food table. The bed, the oxygen tank, the food table, the albuterol machine, etc.
 
It’s not just a hospice thing but with many medical professionals - once you or a loved one gets a dementia diagnosis, you can cancel any other medical possibilities. Seen it with mom before passing and now seeing it with dad.
 
Oh his weight loss is due to dementia – but dentures broke, oh his swallowing is due to dementia - no swallow study needed, oh his memory problem is due to dementia (and now one of his meds is removed) another improvement.
 
Many professionals are not willing to entertain other medical possibilities. God help us all!

Keep us posted if you could keep or had to replace!
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I am under the impression that any of the equipment provided is the property of the supplier that gives it to you. With my Dad that supplier was at his house the next day picking up that equipment. Medicare rents the equipment they don't buy it.
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Generally Hospice rents the beds that are provided to the patients. This way if another type of bed needs to be ordered, or another type of mattress they can call the supplier and have one delivered. If anything breaks another one can be delivered.
I would ask the Hospice Nurse, they are usually the ones that order DME supplies.
If it does belong to you, great. If not ask your dad's doctor to order a hospital bed for him.
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Before my mom passed away in April, she needed a wheelchair and Medicare paid for it through our local medical supply store. When I went to pick it up they told me that is was considered a "rental" unless my mom kept it for 9 months or longer. After 9 months they considered it bought and paid for and belonging to my mom. I wonder if the medical beds are the same? I have no idea but I just thought I would share a similar type of story. I hope you can get your dad a new bed.
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You should check with the supplier.
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I had something similar happen. I called the company the rental came from. THEY would have started charging me if I hadn't called and they sent for the return.
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JoAnn29 avatar
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JoAnn29 Jun 2021
When on Hospice its up to Hospice to call the supplier and tell them the client has passed. The supplier then picks it up. If they don't it's their problem or the Hospice for not calling them.
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No ! it’s not yours, the company you received the equipment from will pick it up when it’s no longer needed. There be are many other people in need of the equipment when you no longer need it. Hospice would go broke if everyone kept all the beds, oxygen and other supplies that are loaned out. Hospice is a great , caring company that aids in end of life comfort for so many families .
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JoAnn29 avatar
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JoAnn29 Jun 2021
Hospice themselves do not supply equipment. They have a contract with a supplier. The equipment belongs to the supplier.
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Where did your dads medical bed come from? If it was supplied through Medicare from a DME supplier then you can call the supplier to replace or repair his bed. When we came home in 2019 Medicare supplied moms bed and a local DME equipment supplier delivered it - they have since had to repair and replace it when I have had any issues with the bed and even her air mattress - I call them and they are here within 24 hours - sometimes they can just repair it and most recently they did a total replacement. Hope this helps. 🤞🏼
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I'm kind of confused, but I think you're saying you have dad's bed that is broken and mom's bed that works - two beds. Each of those beds probably has a label on it of which company delivered it.

I think it depends on how long the bed was 'rented' and paid for by Medicare. Seems like the time period of one year rental and then the bed belongs to patient. So if dad has his over a year, that's why there's no rental anymore. Call that company to do the repair. The bed sent by hospice will get picked up - it belongs to them/the durable goods provider they use. Hospice, your most recent provider, should be able to tell you when they will send someone for hospice bed. Again, look on the bed for owner name.

Many beds are just short term use in the home, so they are used over and over via Medicare/dr order. Some equipment is long term. Medicare pays for so long and if still needed after that period (1 year I think) it belongs to patient.
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After 2 years on hospice, my 95 year old Mom, deep into her Alzheimer's journey, graduated off hospice. Her regular doctor had to order all new equipment, hospital bed, special mattress, special wheel chair etc. She paid out of pocket for the new mattress and gel pad for the wheelchair so they belong to her. Medicare and her supplemental insurance cover much of the rental, she pays about $30 per month for the rental of the equipment. The company which provided the original equipment came to pick it up before the replacement things came, but left it until she had new things. It was so hard to lose hospice, they were allowed in the building when I was not. We have been praying for the Lord to take her for 4 years, she has no idea who, where etc. Does not know me, can barely see or hear, requires complete assistance with everything, it is heartbreaking.
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Check with company that supplied the bed. The rental may have been rolled into their monthly service charges with Medicare. Also check with Medicare that should have a detailed list of all durable equipment that is being rented. If neither of these agencies can trace the "rental of the bed," you may assume it was a onetime charge - and you will be responsible for paying for repairs. If it is a "rental bed," let Medicare know that the bed needs repairs or replacement.
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In general the DME is ordered/rented through Medicare approved companies. Hospice can choose which companies they work with. Changing who they work with shouldn't impact ownership. I never saw anything on mom's Medicare statements mentioning the bed, lift, etc. She was in MC, so I never saw any of it (happened during lockdown, not allowed in.)

I do know that the doc tried putting in an order from some company, but no one ever talked to me. I received a letter later from that company closing the request as they never got the paperwork they needed. When hospice came on board, all that happened behind the green curtain. I never talked to anyone about it nor did I hear a word about it.

Personally I would ask your dad's doctor to get orders for a repair or new replacement bed for dad rather than keep the one hospice ordered for your mother.

I would also pester the hospice place for getting the other equipment picked up. It shouldn't matter that they switched providers. I certainly wouldn't take a driver's word about it. IF the DME company went out of business, maybe it would never get picked up, but I wouldn't count on it. It may take time if the hospice place changed DME providers, but eventually they will likely catch up and you don't want to be billed for keeping the items! I'd also make sure THEY do the leg work, not you - they shouldn't just tell you the company name and phone number, THEY should be doing this!

Depending on dad's situation, he might be able to get a new or repaired bed and a wheelchair, but it should be through doc orders, not a driver's word...
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My mom also graduated off of hospice and they wanted their bed back. However, when her Geratrics doctor took over, they simply called the equipment supplier and had the equipment transferred from hospice account. There was no need to have the equipment picked up and traded out. I was told that once my mom passes away, equipment such as the shower chair, portable commode, etc., could be kept, but not the hospital bed. I hate that she graduated off hospice as she’s really ill. But I too pray that it will end soon.
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Canyon727 avatar
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Canyon727 Jun 2021
Same here. When mom was taken off hospice, we rented the bed for a month, until I could move her to WA with me.
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Imho, check with your hospice company for clarification.
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Hospice is covered by regular Medicare A. I learned this when dad went on Hospice - he and mom were covered by medicare advantage through dad's former employer (an HMO).

As far as the equipment - you will need to check with the hospice provider - even though dad was in SN by this time, hospice provided the bed and wheelchair - when dad died the equipment went back to the durable medical equipment (DME) company used by the Hospice.

It might depend on how long your parents have been/were on hospice. You'll need to check with the hospice provider.
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Truth, have you been able to call the supplier and get ur answer?
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