Should You Rent or Go Through Insurance?
Wondering if you should rent your medical equipment or go through insurance? Here’s how the cost, speed, and hassle actually compare.
When you need a hospital bed, lift chair, or rollator, the first instinct is usually “let’s run it through insurance.” Makes sense, that’s how most medical stuff works. But insurance coverage for equipment like this comes with a lot more friction than people expect. For a lot of patients, renting directly ends up faster, easier, and cheaper in the end.
What Insurance Coverage Actually Looks Like
Medicare, Medicaid, and most commercial plans do cover some equipment, but getting there isn’t simple.
- Prior authorization takes time. Most insurers need to approve the request first, and that can take anywhere from days to weeks. If you’re leaving the hospital today, that timeline just doesn’t work.
- Paperwork has to be exact. Insurers want detailed documentation from your doctor, the right diagnosis codes, and often a Letter of Medical Necessity. Miss something and you get a denial.
- You’ll likely still owe something. Even with approval, you typically pay 20% of the approved amount plus your deductible, which can end up costing as much as renting outright.
- Rental periods are capped. Insurance often limits how long you can rent before forcing you to buy the equipment, even if you’re almost done needing it.
- Selection is limited. Insurance approved vendors tend to carry fewer options, so you may not get the features, sizing, or quality you’d actually want.
Why Renting Directly Often Works Better
- Speed. No prior authorization needed. We can often deliver within 24 hours of your call.
- Flexibility. Rent for exactly as long as you need it, two weeks, two months, or longer.
- No surprises. Flat, transparent pricing with no hidden fees or surprise bills later.
- More options. Access to premium, adjustable, bariatric, and specialty equipment that insurance doesn’t always cover.
- No denial risk. There’s no claim to deny, so there’s no chance of an unexpected bill showing up months later.
- Simple process. One call or an order online, no forms and no physician paperwork required for most items.
When Insurance Might Still Be the Better Option
Insurance tends to make more sense when:
- You need the equipment long term or permanently, like a power wheelchair for a permanent disability
- The equipment is expensive enough that even 20% still beats the cost of renting over time
- You have supplemental coverage that wipes out your out of pocket cost entirely
If you’re not sure which way makes sense for you, our team is happy to walk through both options and help you figure out what fits your situation best.
When Insurance Might Still Be the Better Option
Insurance tends to make more sense when:
- You need the equipment long term or permanently, like a power wheelchair for a permanent disability
- The equipment is expensive enough that even 20% still beats the cost of renting over time
- You have supplemental coverage that wipes out your out of pocket cost entirely
If you’re not sure which way makes sense for you, our team is happy to walk through both options and help you figure out what fits your situation best.
The Real Cost of Waiting
Every day without the right equipment after surgery is a day with extra risk. A fall while you’re still getting your footing, poor positioning after abdominal surgery, or sleeping flat after a spinal fusion can all lead to complications, and those complications cost a lot more than a month or two of rental ever would. A fall or a trip back to the hospital will always cost more than renting a lift chair or hospital bed for sixty days.
People Also Ask
Can I still get reimbursed by insurance after renting from you? In some cases, yes. Patients can sometimes seek out of network reimbursement from their insurer for rental costs, and we can provide itemized receipts to support that claim.
Are you a Medicare enrolled supplier? Reach out to us directly for the most current details on insurance participation and billing in your area.
What happens if my insurance denies my equipment claim? That risk goes away entirely when you rent with us. You pay a clear rental rate, and there’s simply no claim that can be denied.