Hospice Equipment: What Medicare Covers
All DME related to your terminal diagnosis is covered at zero cost under the Medicare Hospice Benefit — no prior auth, no coinsurance. Here's exactly what's included, who pays, and how it works.
When you elect the Medicare Hospice Benefit, your hospice agency is responsible for providing all medically necessary durable medical equipment (DME) related to your terminal diagnosis. This means the hospice bears the cost — not Medicare Part B, and not you.
Common equipment covered under hospice includes:
| Equipment Category | Examples | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hospital beds | Semi-electric or full-electric adjustable beds, trapeze bars, side rails | Usually set up in the patient's bedroom at home |
| Wheelchairs | Manual transport wheelchairs, standard wheelchairs, tilt-in-space chairs | Power chairs also covered if medically justified |
| Oxygen equipment | Stationary concentrators, portable concentrators, liquid O₂, tanks | Covers all related tubing, masks, cannulas |
| Nebulizers | Tabletop and portable nebulizers | For breathing treatments (albuterol, etc.) |
| Bedside commodes | Bedside and over-toilet commodes | Reduces fall risk for patients with limited mobility |
| Pressure-relief mattresses | Gel overlays, alternating-air mattresses, low air loss systems | Prevents pressure ulcers in bed-bound patients |
| Walkers & mobility aids | Standard walkers, wheeled walkers, quad canes | Covered if related to terminal diagnosis |
| Suction machines | Portable suction units | Used for oral/airway secretion management |
| Hospital-style tables & trapeze | Overbed tables, trapeze lift bars | Supports self-care and repositioning |
| Incontinence supplies | Disposable briefs, underpads, catheters | High-use items fully covered |
| Wound care supplies | Dressings, bandages, drainage systems | For wounds related to terminal diagnosis |
| IV equipment | IV poles, infusion pumps, PICC line supplies | For comfort medications given by infusion |
If you need to research specific DME categories covered under regular Medicare, browse our DME equipment guides for in-depth coverage information on each category.
There are important structural differences between how equipment works under hospice versus standard Medicare Part B coverage:
| Factor | Hospice (Part A) | Regular Medicare (Part B) |
|---|---|---|
| Who arranges equipment | Hospice agency coordinates everything | Patient finds their own DME supplier |
| Prior authorization | Hospice handles internally — no patient paperwork | Often required; takes days or weeks |
| Patient cost-sharing | $0 for covered equipment | 20% coinsurance after $257 deductible (2026) |
| Delivery timeline | Often same-day or next-day — urgency-based | Varies by supplier; may take several days |
| Equipment maintenance | Hospice responsible for all maintenance and repair | Patient works with supplier for maintenance |
| Multiple items | Hospice bundles all related items | Each item may require separate process |
| Termination | Hospice retrieves equipment after discharge/death | Supplier retrieves or patient keeps (if purchased) |
Note: If you need equipment for a condition unrelated to your terminal diagnosis while on hospice, you can still use Medicare Part B for that equipment. Your hospice team can help clarify which coverage pathway applies.
Understanding the payment flow helps clarify why hospice DME is cost-free to patients:
- Medicare pays the hospice a daily per-diem rate — a flat dollar amount for each day you're enrolled, based on level of care (routine home care ~$215/day in 2026, continuous home care ~$1,565/day, inpatient ~$470/day, respite ~$470/day).
- The hospice uses that per-diem to cover all services — including DME, medications, nursing visits, social work, and everything else related to your terminal diagnosis.
- The hospice contracts with DME suppliers — or maintains its own inventory of common equipment. The patient never deals with the supplier directly.
- You pay nothing for the equipment — no deductible, no coinsurance, no copay. The only potential patient cost for all hospice services is up to $5 per prescription drug and 5% for inpatient respite stays.
✅ Patient out-of-pocket cost for hospice DME: $0
All DME related to your terminal diagnosis is fully covered. No deductibles, no co-pays, no prior auth paperwork for the patient.
When a patient dies or is discharged from hospice, the hospice agency is responsible for retrieving all equipment it provided. Here's what families should know:
After death
The hospice will typically contact the family within 24–72 hours to schedule equipment pickup. You don't need to call them — this is standard procedure. Hospice staff handle all arrangements with their DME supplier. Family members should not remove or sell any hospice-provided equipment before pickup.
After revocation or discharge (improved condition)
If you leave hospice voluntarily or are discharged due to improved health, the hospice will arrange equipment retrieval, usually within a few days. If you continue to need that equipment under regular Medicare Part B, you'll need to work with a Part B-approved DME supplier to get a new prescription and authorization.
Personally purchased equipment
If the patient or family purchased their own equipment before or during hospice, those items are not subject to hospice retrieval — they belong to the family. However, hospice-provided items always remain property of the hospice or its DME partner.
For information on obtaining DME through Medicare Part B after leaving hospice, browse our DME equipment guides by category.
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