Getting rid of a hospital bed takes a bit more effort than hauling out old furniture, but you have several good options: donating it, selling it, returning it to the supplier, or arranging for disposal. The right path depends on whether you own the bed outright, whether it still works, and how much effort you want to put in. Here’s how to handle each route.
Check Whether You Actually Own It
Before you do anything, figure out who the bed belongs to. If the bed was covered through Medicare’s capped rental program, ownership depends on how many months of rental were paid and whether you (or a family member) exercised the purchase option. After 13 continuous rental months with the purchase option accepted, the supplier transfers the title to the patient. If the purchase option was never exercised, ownership stays with the supplier even after 15 months of rental payments. In that case, you don’t need to “get rid of” the bed at all. Contact the durable medical equipment (DME) supplier listed on the original paperwork, and they’re responsible for picking it up.
The same applies if the bed was rented through private insurance or a hospice program. Call the supplier or agency first. They’ll typically schedule a pickup within a few days to a couple of weeks.
Donate It to a Charity
Donation is the most common way people get rid of a working hospital bed, and several organizations will take them. Project C.U.R.E. lists hospital beds, including ICU, med-surg, pediatric, and birthing beds, among their urgent donation needs. They ship medical equipment to underserved communities worldwide and offer pickup in areas near their collection centers. If you don’t live near one of their locations, you can contact them to discuss shipping or delivery options.
One important note: not every charity accepts home hospital beds specifically. MedShare, another large medical equipment nonprofit, explicitly does not accept home healthcare beds, though they do take clinical-grade equipment. Check each organization’s guidelines before scheduling anything.
For home-style hospital beds, your best bet is often a local resource called a “loan closet” or medical equipment exchange. These are run by nonprofits, churches, disability organizations, and county programs. They lend equipment like hospital beds, wheelchairs, and walkers to people who need them at no cost. Many counties maintain directories of loan closets. Search your county or state name plus “medical equipment loan closet” to find one near you. Organizations serving specific conditions, like ALS associations, often run their own loan closets and welcome donated equipment.
Condition Requirements for Donation
Most organizations expect donated equipment to be in full working condition. General guidelines across major charities include: the bed should preferably be 15 years old or less, all mechanical and electrical functions should operate properly, and any vinyl surfaces (mattress, side rails) should be free of stains or tears. If the mattress is stained or damaged, some organizations will still accept the frame and mechanical components. Call ahead to ask.
Tax Deductions for Donated Equipment
If you donate to a qualified nonprofit, you can generally deduct the fair market value of the bed at the time of donation. The IRS considers qualified organizations to include religious, charitable, educational, and scientific groups, as well as nonprofit hospitals. Fair market value for a used hospital bed isn’t what you paid for it. It’s what a willing buyer would pay for it in its current condition. IRS Publication 561 walks through how to determine that value. Get a written receipt from the organization, and if the bed is worth more than $500, you’ll need to file Form 8283 with your taxes.
Sell It Online
Used hospital beds, especially electric models in good condition, have resale value. Manual beds typically sell for $200 to $500, while fully electric beds can go for $500 to $1,500 or more depending on brand, age, and features. You have two categories of platforms to consider.
General marketplaces like eBay, Facebook Marketplace, and Craigslist reach the widest audience. Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist work well for local sales where the buyer handles pickup, which saves you the headache of shipping a 300-plus-pound piece of equipment. For specialized buyers, platforms like DotMed and MedWOW cater specifically to medical equipment and connect you with healthcare facilities, resellers, and refurbishment companies. DotMed offers both auction and classified listing formats.
When listing, include the brand, model number, bed type (manual, semi-electric, full-electric), weight capacity, and clear photos of the controls, mattress surface, and any wear. Disclose any issues honestly. Buyers in this market know what they’re looking at.
How to Disassemble a Hospital Bed
Whether you’re donating, selling, or disposing of a hospital bed, you’ll likely need to break it down. Most home hospital beds separate into four or five main pieces: the headboard, footboard, two side rail sections, and the spring deck or mattress platform. The foot frame section that houses the motors is the heaviest piece, so plan for at least two people to handle it safely.
You’ll need basic tools: a flathead screwdriver, an adjustable wrench, and possibly a socket set. Many beds use retaining collars to connect the frame sections. Sliding a small flathead screwdriver under the free end of the collar helps pop it loose. Semi-electric beds may also have a small crank for height adjustment that needs to be removed separately.
Unplug the bed and lower it to its lowest position before starting. Remove the mattress first, then the side rails, then separate the head and foot sections from the spring deck. Keep hardware in a labeled bag if you’re donating or selling, since the recipient will need it to reassemble.
Battery Disposal for Electric Beds
Some electric hospital beds have backup battery packs, and these require separate handling. If the bed contains lithium-ion batteries, they’re classified as hazardous waste due to ignitability and reactivity risks. Don’t toss them in household trash or curbside recycling. The EPA recommends dropping lithium batteries at battery collection sites, often found at electronics retailers, or at your local household hazardous waste facility. State and local regulations may have additional requirements beyond federal rules, so check with your municipal waste authority if you’re unsure.
Lead-acid batteries, found in some older backup systems, also require proper recycling. Most auto parts stores accept lead-acid batteries for free.
Arrange for Pickup or Disposal
If the bed is broken, outdated, or in poor condition and no one will take it, you’re looking at disposal. A few options work here. Many municipal bulky waste programs will pick up large items curbside on a scheduled day, sometimes for a small fee. Call your local waste management office to ask if they handle medical equipment.
Junk removal services like 1-800-GOT-JUNK or local haulers will pick up a hospital bed, typically for $100 to $250 depending on your area and whether they need to navigate stairs. Some will even disassemble it for you. If the bed is metal-framed, scrap metal recyclers may take it at no charge or even pay a small amount for the steel.
For beds that are functional but that you simply need gone fast, posting them as “free, you haul” on Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist often gets a response within hours. Caregivers and families looking for affordable medical equipment check these listings regularly.