THE HOSPICE BENEFIT
The Medicare Hospice Benefit provides medical coverage for the care of patients without deductions or co-payments. The benefit has four levels of care that are designed to allow hospice to serve as the case manager for patients in any setting.
Routine Home Care is the basic level of care needed to maintain a patient in their residence or facility
Continuous Care allows hospice to place nursing services at the patient bedside, around the clock for short periods of time, during periods of crisis
General Inpatient Care is a level of care that enables hospice to transfer a patient to a contracted facility (hospital or skilled nursing unit) for inpatient hospice services during periods of crisis
Respite Care enables hospice to give family or caregivers a short (5-day) respite by transferring the patient to a contracted facility.
The Medicare Hospice Benefit is financially advantageous to patients and families and covers all four levels of care. In addition, the benefit covers all medications, durable medical equipment, and medical supplies related to the life-limiting condition.
Who May Qualify?
The Medicare hospice benefit includes services from a Chaplain and Licensed Medical Social workers to provide professional counseling, grief support, and access to social services for the patient and family members. In addition, we provide volunteer services through trained volunteers.
Volunteers can provide:
Routine Home Care is the basic level of care needed to maintain a patient in their residence or facility
Continuous Care allows hospice to place nursing services at the patient bedside, around the clock for short periods of time, during periods of crisis
General Inpatient Care is a level of care that enables hospice to transfer a patient to a contracted facility (hospital or skilled nursing unit) for inpatient hospice services during periods of crisis
Respite Care enables hospice to give family or caregivers a short (5-day) respite by transferring the patient to a contracted facility.
The Medicare Hospice Benefit is financially advantageous to patients and families and covers all four levels of care. In addition, the benefit covers all medications, durable medical equipment, and medical supplies related to the life-limiting condition.
Who May Qualify?
- Frequent Hospitalizations
- Progressive Weight Loss
- Deteriorating mental abilities
- Recurrent Infections
- Specific decline in condition
- Diagnosis of an illness causing life-limiting expectancy
- Patients and families who have chosen care that focuses on symptom management rather than curative treatment
- Patients and families who choose no extreme measures to sustain life
The Medicare hospice benefit includes services from a Chaplain and Licensed Medical Social workers to provide professional counseling, grief support, and access to social services for the patient and family members. In addition, we provide volunteer services through trained volunteers.
Volunteers can provide:
- Companionship, including visiting, listening, sharing stories, laughing together, crying together, holding a hand, reading, card games, or just sitting quietly and enjoying each other’s company
- Staying with patient to allow family much needed rest
- Practical help, including meal preparation, light housekeeping, gardening, walking a dog, writing a letter, and many other solutions to needs as determined by the patient, family, caregiver, or Hospice Team
- Music, song, poetry or art
- Assistance with errands or shopping
