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Decision: unknown

 
The rules say that plans must pay for a medical service or item if regular Medicare would pay for it in this case. 
You can find this rule at 42 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Section 422.101. 
 
The patients medical records must establish medical necessity for a hospital bed due to one of the following 
reasons: 
 
1. The patients condition requires positioning of the body; e.g., to alleviate pain, promote good body 
alignment, prevent contractures, avoid respiratory infections, in ways not feasible in an ordinary bed; or  
 
2. The patients condition requires special attachments that cannot be fixed and used on an ordinary bed.  
You can find this rule in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Internet Only Manual, Publication 
100-03, National Coverage Determinations Manual, Section 280.7(A). 
 
In order to qualify for a semi-electric hospital bed, the patients condition must require frequent change in body 
position and/or there may be an immediate need for a change in body position (i.e., no delay can be tolerated) 
and the patient can operate the controls and cause the adjustments. Exceptions may be made to this last 
requirement in cases of spinal cord injury and brain damaged patients. You can find this rule in the Centers for 
Medicare and Medicaid Services, Internet Only Manual, Publication 100-03, Medicare National Coverage 
Determinations Manual, Section 280.7(D). 
 
The rules say Trapeze equipment (E0910, E0940) is covered if the beneficiary needs this device to sit up 
because of a respiratory condition, to change body position for other medical reasons, or to get in or out of bed. 
You can find this rule in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Local Coverage Determination 
(LCD): Hospital Beds and Accessories (L33820). 
The rules say a Group 1 mattress overlay or mattress (E0181, E0182, E0184, E0185, E0186, E0187, E0188, 
E0189, E0196, E0197, E0198, E0199 and A4640) is covered if one of the following three criteria are met: 
1. The beneficiary is completely immobile - i.e., beneficiary cannot make changes in body position 
without assistance, or 
2. The beneficiary has limited mobility - i.e., beneficiary cannot independently make changes in body 
position significant enough to alleviate pressure and at least one of conditions A-D below, or 
3. The beneficiary has any stage pressure ulcer on the trunk or pelvis and at least one of conditions A-D 
below. Conditions for criteria 2 and 3 (in each case the medical record must document the severity of the condition 
sufficiently to demonstrate the medical necessity for a pressure reducing support surface): 
A. Impaired nutritional status 
B. Fecal or urinary incontinence 
C. Altered sensory perception 
D. Compromised circulatory status 
When the coverage criteria for a Group 1 mattress overlay or mattress are not met, the claim will be denied as 
not reasonable and necessary.  
You can find this rule in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Local Coverage Determination 
(LCD): Pressure Reducing Support Surfaces-Group 1 (L33830). 
 
If you want to read these Medicare rules, you can go to this website www.medicareappeal.com. 
 
The Plan contract says that the Plan covers items and services in accordance with Medicare rules.