Who is eligible for hospice?

You qualify for hospice if:

      • You are eligible for Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance) or Medicaid
      • Your doctor and the hospice medical director certify that you are terminally ill and probably have less than six months to live
      • You sign a statement choosing hospice care instead of routine Medicare covered benefits for your terminal illness*
      •  You receive care from a Medicare-approved hospice program

Some private pay insurance companies follow different eligibility guidelines and benefits offered can differ from insurer to insurer. Please contact your insurance provider about their hospice eligibility requirements.
 
* Medicare will still pay for covered benefits for any health problems that are not related to your terminal illness.  For more detail view the Medicare Hospice Benefit Brochure.

 

What if you are not eligible for hospice?  Most hospices also offer comfort care for patient’s not yet eligible, contact your local hospice to ask about palliative care services.