Hospice provides comfort care for those with a terminal illness. Medicare's hospice benefit is primarily home-based, and offers end-of-life palliative care as well as support for a beneficiary's physical and emotional needs.
This frequently asked questions document, developed for us by the Medicare Rights Center, explains more about Medicare coverage of hospice services. It answers the questions:
- What is hospice?
- How does a Medicare beneficiary elect hospice care?
- What services are covered under Medicare's hospice benefit?
- How are drugs covered under the hospice benefit?
- How does hospice work for beneficiaries in Medicare Advantage plans?
- Does Medicare cover hospice care in a skilled nursing facility?
- How does a beneficiary continue hospice past their initial prognosis?
- How does a beneficiary end the hospice benefit?
- How can beneficiaries protect themselves from hospice fraud?
- Does Medicare cover palliative care outside of hospice?
The Medicare Rights Center also developed this slide deck for professionals to use when training counselors and volunteers on this topic.
