What is Hospice?

As demand for hospice care has increased, so have the number of programs nationwide. Today, there are about 4,700 providers, up from about 3,300 five years ago, according to NHPCO. While the majority of providers are nonprofits, the for-profit sector is growing, accounting for 47.1 percent of hospice agencies last year.

Hospice is intended for any person who has a terminal illness and a prognosis of six months or less to live. Depending on the needs of each patient, care can include pain management, medications, medical supplies and equipment, and assistance with the emotional, psychological, and spiritual aspects of dying. A hospice team usually consists of nurses, home health aides, social workers, bereavement counselors, and clergy, as well as a hospice physician and the patient’s personal physician.

The benefit for Medicare and Medicaid patients is remarkably magnanimous. Medicare pays out $601 per patient per day for inpatient hospice care (and $789 per day for the typical patient who gets 24-hour home care), yet there are no copays, deductibles, or out-of-pocket expenses for the beneficiary. Private insurer hospice benefits offer a variety of hospice services, though they’re typically not as generous, according to the Hospice Association of America. To get Medicare or private insurance to cover hospice care, a patient needs only a physician’s referral. Hospice care is usually provided in the patient’s home. It can also be made available at a special hospice residence designed with a homelike atmosphere, or in assisted living or skilled nursing facilities.

Tags: hospice, senior care, Senior Housing