If your supplier accepts 

 you pay 20% of the 

, and the Part B 

 applies. Medicare pays for different kinds of DME in different ways. Depending on the type of equipment and qualifying diagnosis for a hospital bed:

• You may need to rent the equipment.
• You may need to buy the equipment.
• You may be able to choose whether to rent or buy the equipment.

Medicare will only cover your DME if your doctors and DME suppliers are enrolled in Medicare. Doctors and suppliers have to meet strict standards to enroll and stay enrolled in Medicare. If your doctors or suppliers aren’t enrolled, Medicare won’t pay the claims submitted by them, including hospital bed coverage. 

It’s also important to ask your suppliers if they participate in Medicare before you get DME. If suppliers are participating suppliers, they must accept assignment (i.e. full hospital bed cost). If suppliers are enrolled in Medicare but aren’t “participating,” they may choose not to accept assignment. If suppliers don't accept assignment, there’s no limit on the amount they can charge you as the hospital bed price.