The mattress sales person would have you think you need to replace both pieces when your mattress wears out. But if the springs were of good quality, that's not really necessary. a mattress has stuffing in it which compresses and works it's way into the springs, but a box springs has no padding.
years ago, bedsprings were just a frame of coils which you topped with a mattress...either inner spring or just a stuffed mattress. They were a royal pain because they would get dusty and harbor spiders and webs. Fuller brush even made a special brush for cleaning bed springs! My bed as a child and teen has those springs....and I was always afraid there were spiders in them.
As long as none of the springs are broken and poking through or becoming unfastened, you should be fine with a new mattress and the old springs.
Linda C

Many new mattresses are VERY thick and come on top of basically boards rather than box springs. So it would depend on what the new mattress would require.
As for your insurance question, that would depend entirely on your insurance. Some companies would cover a specific mattress with a Dr's prescription, others would not, also some employee health accounts would cover it so that even though you paid for it, it would be with afer tax dollars.
I suggest you check directly with your insurer.

I really like our Tempur-pedic mattress. It would be something worth looking into anyway. I have since read that some people feel that these type of mattresses give off a lot of off-gassing even after the chemical smell is gone. It does have me slightly worried but I am not losing sleep over it because my mattress is so comfortable :) But if I were going to buy another new mattress I would at least look into the all natural latex mattresses, maybe even an organic one. FYI-my mom also has a tempur-pedic that has really helped her sleep better with all of her many aches and pains.

I too have a serious back problem and my wife often has difficulty with "hot flashes at night". We researched and tested many brands including Shifman, Hypnos, S&F, Beautyrest, Simmons, Serta, Kluft and finally decided on Royal Pedic. We purchased a box spring (required by the manufacturer for the warranty), the standard 8" thick all cotton mattress with a 4" thick organic topper with organis wool and latex. While this was an expensive combination our research strongly suggested this was a quality purchase that still reflected real value. We have had the new set for about a month and we absolutely love the restfull sleep we get. My wife is very pleased with the cool comfort of the organic wool/latex/organic cotton cover topper and my back has not fealt this good for longer than I can remember. I wake up and spring out of bed, fully rested and pain free.

We certainly would recommend you try Royal Pedic if you can find a dealer.

Cuse69

Some very good questions about mattress prescriptions, need for a box spring, and type or brand of mattress have come up here. I recommend you visit myfurnitureforum(dot)com where this can be discussed with dealers who will offer their insight. New laws regarding mattress construction went into effect last year, and whatever you may think of a dealer's opinion we are well aware of how the new regulations have changed things and would be happy to share that information.

I have visited the referenced site myfurnitureforum.com and I am impressed by the site. It allows more freedom for dealers to discuss their products and services along with more real insider information. Also, it is the new home of Duane Collie a former major contributor to this site. For all you Duane fans it's the place to visit.

Cuse69

Memory Foam Mattress is very comfortable for the whole body as it supports the spine properly. Most people feel stiff in their neck and back area when they get up. This is due to a bad or overused mattress. But a memory foam mattress helps in getting a good night's sleep as you do not get back aches, in fact, it relieves the lower back ache problems.

Here is a link that might be useful: Why should you buy Tempur Pedic's Memory Foam Mattress?