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Medicare hospice benefits
Once a patient chooses Medicare hospice, he/she signs off on Medicare part A
Benefits: (covered services)
1) services of physicians, nurses, social workers, dieticians, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapists, home health aides, homemaker services, music therapist, chaplain, bereavement counselors
2) case management by a hospice nurse
3) access to a hospice physician
4) medications at no cost provided they are related to the terminal diagnosis & are palliative
5) tests & other treatments at no cost provided they are related to the terminal diagnosis & are palliative
6) provision of durable equipment, including hospital bed, bedside commode
7) bereavement services for 13 months after a death
8) non-reimbursible services
a) care from provider NOT arranged by hospice team
b) room & board
c) care in an emergency room or inpatient facility, UNLESS arranged by hospice team
d) nursing care in a postacute-care nursing facility
e) ambulance transportation, UNLESS arranged by hospice team
f) private duty caregivers
g) medications for chronic conditions (non terminal, i.e. diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease ...)
9) periods of care
- two 90 day periods, followed by unlimited number of 60 day periods
10) restrictions
a) signed acknowledgement that treatment (including medications) cannot be directed at curing terminal illness
b) certification by physician at beginning of each period that prognosis is 6 months or less
Related
hospice
Medicare
References
- Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
Medicare Hospice Benefits
http://www.medicare.gov/Publications/pubs/pdf/02154.pdf
- Geriatric Review Syllabus, 7th edition
Parada JT et al (eds)
American Geriatrics Society, 2010
- Geriatric Review Syllabus, 8th edition (GRS8)
Durso SC and Sullivan GN (eds)
American Geriatrics Society, 2013