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‘Who pays for hospice?’ It’s a very common question. And it’s a very good question. If you are considering hospice care for someone you love (or maybe for yourself), you have a lotof things to think about. Worrying about how you are going to pay for hospice care should not be one of them.
At Apreva Hospice, we strive to provide exceptional care for our patients and their families. This begins with providing education and resources to ensure everyone involved understands what to expect when choosing our hospice services. That being said, we want to dive into how hospice is paid for.
Medicare Part A covers hospice through the Medicare Hospice Benefit, which states you pay nothing for hospice care. To qualify for hospice care, a hospice doctor and your own doctor (if you have one) must certify that you are terminally ill. This means you have a life expectancy of 6 months or less, should the disease run its natural course. When agreeing to hospice, you will sign a statement that confirms you are choosing hospice care rather than other benefits Medicare covers to treat your terminal illness and related conditions. Simply put, you are agreeing that you are choosing comfort care instead of curative treatment.
Coverage includes:
Medicaid provides health coverage to millions of Americans, including eligible low-income adults, children, pregnant women, elderly adults, and people with disabilities. It also pays for hospice care for terminally ill individuals in many states. Similar to Medicare, hospice services through Medicaid include:
To qualify, a hospice provider must obtain a physician certification that a patient is terminally ill, and hospice services must be reasonable and necessary for the management of the terminal illness and related conditions. A hospice plan of care must be established prior to services being provided.
The Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) covers hospice care for Veterans who are in the final phase of their lives. They work closely with community and home hospice agencies to provide care in the home. Since hospice is part of the VHA Standards Medical Benefits package, all enrolled Veterans are eligible for services as long as they meet the clinical need for service.
There are no copays for hospice care, whether it is provided by the VA or an organization with a VA contract.
Many private insurance companies provide some coverage for hospice care. Check with your insurer to determine whether hospice is covered. Qualifications and covered benefits vary based on the private insurer.
If you don’t have insurance coverage and cannot afford hospice care, it may be provided free of charge through financial assistance such as donations, gifts, grants, or other community sources.
Please feel free to contact us if you’d like more information about how hospice care is paid for. Our team is always here to answer any questions you may have.
Joint Commission-accredited hospices are the partner of choice throughout the care continuum because of their deep abiding commitment to quality end-of-life care. Apreva Hospice is one of the few hospices in San Diego County with this distinct and honorable title. An accreditation from Joint Commission shows dedication to the optimum patient experience, commitment to strong interdisciplinary care management, and a robust patient safety initiative.
Apreva Hospice prides itself by partnering with the We Honor Veterans Program. We have a team of highly-trained individuals who work with our Veteran patients during their time of need.
Patient services are provided without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex (an individual’s sex, gender identity, sex stereotyping, pregnancy, childbirth and related conditions) , sexual orientation, disability (mental or physical), communicable disease, or national origin.
Read our Notice of Nondiscrimination here.
