Investing in a Red-Light Therapy Bed? 13 Considerations (Pt. 2)

Editor’s Note: Read part 1 of this article here.

8. Safety Features

Pro Tip: Your LED bed is a piece of medical equipment. Ask these questions to ensure safety:

• Is there an emergency shutoff button or switch?
• Will the unit turn off if it does not detect a person?
• Are the eye goggles rated for the wavelengths utilized?
• Does the unit shut off automatically after the program ends?
• Can staff control the LED bed with an app?

9. Do-It- Yourself Repairs

Think about the economic loss of the LED bed being down. Ask these questions:

• Should something not properly function, what are the service options?
• Are there plug-and-play modules that can be swapped?
• Must a technician be dispatched?
• How long until a technician can visit your clinic?

Pro Tip: Ensure that you have a supply of light sources to replace any that malfunction.

10. Milliwatts Per Diode and Joules Per Treatment

Manufacturers will declare certain power characteristics for their units. Make sure you know these definitions to compare the units.

Milliwatt (mW): The unit of power; equivalent to one joule of energy per 1,000 seconds.

Joules (J): A unit of energy describing the work required to produce one watt of power for one second (one watt-second).

Joule per cm² (J/cm²): A unit of radiant exposure used in measuring the amount of energy per unit area of absorbing surface. Also called the dose.

Peak Power: The maximum pulse power output of the bed and it is fixed by the manufacturer, measured in watts (W) or milliwatts (mW).

Average Power: Refers to the average power per second that an LED emits during the treatment, measured in watts (W) or milliwatts (mW).

Power Density: The intensity of the LED beam; average power divided by the size of beam (“spot size”); relates to the dose.

Watt per cm² (W/cm²): The unit of irradiance used in measuring the amount of power per area of absorbing surface. Also called power density.

Pro Tip: Aim for irradiance of at least 60–130 mW/cm² for clinical-grade effectiveness.⁴

11. Acquisition Cost

Please make sure that you take into account the cost of shipping the unit, which can easily exceed $1,000 plus any applicable taxes.

Pro Tip: Watch out for add-on marketing programs that are expensive.

12. Return on Investment (ROI)

Once you know your acquisition cost, you can begin to calculate the revenue to break even on your investment. Internal Revenue Service Section 179 allows write-offs against tax that the practice may owe. The maximum deduction is 35% of the purchase price of the LED bed.⁵

Additionally, some units qualify for Americans With Disabilities Act tax credit. IRS Form 8826 provides instructions and the ability to file for the credit of up to $5,000.⁶

The U.S. Access Board specifies a low transfer height of 17 inches for many categories of medical diagnostic equipment (MDE).⁷

Pro Tip: The length of the treatment determines the maximum number of treatments per day.

12. Cash vs. Insurance

Be aware that LED beds are generally considered a cash modality. Infrared therapy is most commonly billed under CPT 97026 when medically necessary and compliant with payer guidelines. However, Medicare and several private insurers do not reimburse 97026, resulting in most chiropractors offering PBM on a cash-pay basis within wellness or recovery programs.⁸

Pro Tips: Can you add the modality to subscription-based programs you already offer? Schedule the LED bed in your scheduling software like a provider.

Take-Home Points

Chiropractors considering investment in a red and infrared light therapy bed should weigh clinical evidence, ergonomic design, regulatory compliance, and financial modeling. PBM represents a versatile modality with growing evidence for musculoskeletal recovery and anti-inflammatory effects, but careful device selection and workflow integration are critical for maximizing both patient outcomes and practice ROI.

References

4. Zein R, et al. Review of light parameters and photobiomodulation efficacy: dive into complexity. J Biomed Optics, December 2018;23(12).
5. Section 179 Deduction for Equipment and Software. https://www.section179.org
6. IRS Form 8826 – Disabled Access Credit. Read Here
7. U.S. Access Board Medical Diagnostic Equipment Standards. https://www.access-board.gov
8. Infrared Therapy Devices. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Read Here