How Long Will Medicare Pay for Hospice Care?

Hospice care focuses on helping patients improve their quality of life for the last time on this Earth. As someone with Medicare, I’m sure you’re curious on how long Medicare will pay for you or your loved one’s hospice care. Our professional team at New Vision Hospice & Palliative Care can look into the details of your insurance coverage and provide you detailed information on what you can expect in terms of financial obligations.

Medicare Coverage

The Medicare benefit pays for end of life care delivered at home or in a hospice facility. It will cover any care that is reasonable and/or necessary for easing the terminal illness and the symptoms associated with it. These services are usually provided in the home such as from an at-home hospice care company such as New Vision Hospice & Palliative Care. The benefit provides for physician services, nursing care, drugs for symptom management and/or pain relief, medical supplies (if applicable), counseling, spiritual care, bereavement services and more. Usually individuals pay no more than a $5 co-pay for medication with Medicare insurance.

Eligibility

In order to be eligible for Medicare hospice benefit, you must be entitled to Medicare Part A and be certified by a physical to have less than six months to live as a result of an illness. However, it’s important to note that if someone lives longer than six months, they don’t lose their benefit, but are given additional 60-day periods of service. The patient must sign a statement electing for this hospice benefit. This means they are foregoing treatment to cure their illness and electing to receive only care to make their life more comfortable, known as palliative care.

Learn More About Hospice and Palliative Care in Los Angeles

New Vision Hospice & Palliative Care offers at-home hospice services in the Los Angeles area to patients when it has been determined that additional medical intervention or further hospitalization will not cure them. Our compassionate team is always available for these patients and their families/caregivers. We also offer support for grief counseling and bereavement as well. To learn more about our in-home hospice services or palliative care services, call us today at 800-988-5205. We serve Los Angeles, San Fernando Valley, Simi Valley and Westlake Village.