Eligibility & Payment

In order to qualify for hospice care, a person must have been diagnosed with a terminal illness with a prognosis of six months or less. Hospice insurance benefits, which may be covered by Medicare, Medicaid, or private insurance, will cover hospice care in stages, which include:
- An initial 90-day period
- A subsequent 90-day period
- Indefinite subsequent 60-day periods
Each case is reviewed at the end of each of these periods to help determine continued eligibility. Most of our patients qualify for Medicare hospice benefits, which include:
- Care from a physician as it relates to the terminal illness
- Regular home visits by a hospice nurse
- Chaplain services for both the patient and their family
- Home care services, including assistance with bathing and dressing
- Social work and counseling services
- Needed medical equipment and supplies
- Medication
- Physical, occupational and speech therapy
- Dietary counseling
- Short-term hospital care as it relates to the terminal illness
- Respite care for the family