Any alternatives to the HASSLE and 20% copay to get insurance to cover a hospital bed at home?

My husband is bedridden and in a hospital bed provided to us at a cost of only the Medicare deductible ($135) last year. His bed is electronically controlled. There was absolutely no hassle with his supplemental insurance. The bed showed up one day. That was it. We did have to lease a lift for him because he weighs over 300 pounds, but I think if we’d had a doctor’s prescription for a lift, Medicare would have picked up part of it at least. You cannot “build” a workable hospital bed. If it malfunctions, your Loved Ine could become badly injured.

Also, caregiving is not a “fitness” experience no matter how determined you are to build yourself up. If you don’t know what you’re doing, that is, if you haven’t been shown by aides or physical therapists how to do lifting, you can pull a muscle, dislocate a shoulder, slip a disc and so on. I was trained over a week by my husband's rehab therapists in how to transfer and turn him over.

Deal with the doctors involved to see how you can be provided the equipment you will need.

I wouldn’t recommend trying to cobble something together made of plywood...its very heavy and would be too heavy to try to lift into an upright position, especially with your mom leaning against it. Maybe you could start with a few wedge shaped or reading pillows while you’re investigating other solutions.