Summary & Overview
HCPCS E0297: Total Electric Hospital Bed Without Rails or Mattress
HCPCS Level II code E0297 designates a total electric hospital bed that allows head, foot and height adjustments, supplied without side rails and without a mattress. Nationally, this code is relevant for durable medical equipment (DME) procurement, discharge planning, and facility supply management where electrically adjustable beds are required for patient positioning, pressure management, and caregiver safety. Payers commonly engaged with this service include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare.
Readers will learn what E0297 represents clinically and operationally, and gain a concise overview of payor coverage considerations, common billing modifiers, and the typical sites of service where this equipment is used. The publication summarizes reimbursement and billing benchmarks where available, highlights policy or documentation requirements that affect claim adjudication, and outlines practical clinical contexts that justify use of a total electric hospital bed. Data not available in the input is noted where applicable. This resource is intended for billing professionals, DME suppliers, care coordinators, and policy analysts seeking a national-level reference for coding and administrative handling of electrically adjustable hospital beds billed under E0297.
Billing Code Overview
HCPCS Level II code E0297 describes a hospital bed, total electric (head, foot and height adjustments), without side rails, without mattress. This item is durable medical equipment intended to provide adjustable positioning for patients requiring comprehensive bed mobility and elevation control.
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Service type: Durable medical equipment (DME) providing electric adjustments for head, foot, and overall height.
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Typical site of service: Inpatient facilities, long-term care and skilled nursing facilities, and patient home settings where a total electric hospital bed is clinically indicated for mobility and care needs.
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A patient with limited mobility due to advanced neuromuscular disease, prolonged recovery after major surgery, or severe frailty requires durable medical equipment to maintain safe positioning, pressure redistribution, and care access. A home health clinician or hospital discharge planner arranges rental or purchase of a hospital bed described by billing code E0297 (total electric hospital bed without mattress) when the patient needs independent adjustments of head, foot, and height for transfers, respiratory support, wound care, or caregiver ergonomics. The typical workflow begins with a physician or authorized clinician documenting medical necessity in the plan of care, including diagnosis, functional limitations, and anticipated duration of need. A durable medical equipment (DME) supplier verifies the prescription, delivers the bed to the patient’s residence or facility, provides user and caregiver training on controls and safety, and documents delivery and set-up. Follow-up visits by home health nurses or therapists evaluate fit, pressure risk, and proper operation; modifications or repairs are requested from the supplier as needed.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
00 | No modifier (standard) | Use when no other specific modifier applies to the equipment claim. |