MEDICARE HOSPICE BENEFITS
- You can get Medicare hospice benefits when you meet ALL of the following conditions:
- You are eligible for Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance)
- Your doctor and the hospice medical director certify that you are terminally ill and have 6 months or less to live if your illness runs its normal course. Even if you live longer than 6 months, you can get hospice care as long as your doctor recertifies that you are terminally ill.
- You sign a statement choosing Hospice care instead of other Medicare-covered benefits to treat your terminal illness.
- You get care from a Medicare-approved hospice program.
WHAT MEDICARE COVERS AND WHAT WE PROVIDE
- MEDICARE will cover the hospice care you get for your terminal illness, but it must be from a Medicare-approved hospice provider.
- Medicare will still pay for covered benefits for any health problems that are not related to your terminal illness.
Medicare (and Medicaid/Medi-cal and most private insurance plans) covers the following hospice services for your terminal illness and related conditions:
- Doctor services
- Nursing care
- Medical equipment such as wheelchair, walker, oxygen concentrator
- Medical supplies such as bandages, catheters, oxygen tubings
- Drugs for symptom control or pain relief, may need to pay a small copay
- Hospice aide and homemaker services
- Physical, occupational therapy and speech-language therapy
- Social worker services
- Dietary counseling services
- Grief and loss counseling for you and your family
- Short-term inpatient care (for pain and symptom management)
- Short-term respite care (may need to pay a small co-pay). Respite care is given to a hospice patient by another caregiver so the usual caregiver can rest. During the period of respite care, you will be cared for in a Medicare-approved facility such as a hospice facility, hospital or nursing home. You can stay for up to 5 days each time you get respite care.
- Bereavement services after the loved one has passed away
- Any other Medicare-covered services needed to manage your pain and other symptoms, as recommended by your hospice team.