Medicare Hospice Benefit
If the patient has Medicare Part A and meets hospice eligibility requirements, as much as 100% of the cost of hospice care will be covered by the government. In such a case, there is no deductible or copayment for the patient for services provided under the hospice plan of care.
The majority of hospice patients - about 90% - utilize Medicare and Medicaid to cover their care. The rest turn to other financing sources like private insurance which typically has similar requirements as Medicare.
What Medicare Covers:
Doctor services
Nursing care
Medical equipment (like wheelchairs or walkers)
Medical supplies (like bandages and catheters)
Prescription drugs
Hospice aide and homemaker services
Physical and occupational therapy
Speech-language pathology services
Social worker services
Dietary counseling
Grief and loss counseling for you and your family
Short-term inpatient care (for pain and symptom management)
Short-term respite care
Any other Medicare-covered services needed to manage your terminal illness and related conditions, as recommended by your hospice team