Medicare  Hospice Benefit Facts:

 

   The Medicare Hospice Benefit consists of two 90-day benefit periods and an unlimited number of 60-day  benefit periods (patient must

    continue to meet eligibility criteria). When the patient elects hospice, they waive all rights to Medicare payments  for the duration of their

    hospice election for the following services:

         ■ Care provided by hospice other than the one designated by the patient (unless under arrangement)

         ■ Services related to the treatment of the terminal condition for which hospice was elected  (or a related condition)

 

    What the Medicare Hospice Benefit  Won’t  Cover

    When you choose hospice care, you’ve decided that you no longer want care to cure your terminal illness and related conditions, and/or 

    your doctor has determined that efforts to cure your illness aren’t working. Medicare won’t cover any of these once you choose hospice

    care:

          ■ Treatment intended to cure your terminal illness and/or related conditions. Talk with your doctor if you’re thinking about getting

               treatment to cure your illness. You always have the right to stop hospice care at any time.

          ■ Prescription drugs (except for symptom control or pain relief).  

          ■ Care from any provider that wasn’t set up by the hospice medical team. You must get hospice care from the hospice provider you

              chose. All care that you get for your terminal illness and related conditions must be given by or arranged by the hospice team. You

              can’t get the same type of hospice care from a different provider, unless you change your hospice provider. However, you can still

              see your regular doctor if you’ve chosen him or her to be the attending medical  professional who helps supervise your hospice

              care.  

          ■ Room and board. Medicare doesn’t cover room and board. However, if the hospice team determines that you need short-term

             inpatient or respite care services that they arrange, Medicare will cover your stay in the facility. You may have to pay a small

             co-payment for the respite stay.

          ■ Care you get as a hospital outpatient (like in an emergency room),  or ambulance transportation, unless it’s either arranged by the

             hospice team by your hospice team or is unrelated to your terminal illness and related conditions. Note: Contact your hospice

             team before you get any of these services, or you might have to pay the entire cost.