Paying for hospice care

Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance) covers hospice care when the patient is eligible and chooses it. The hospice physician and the patient’s own doctor, if they have one, confirm whether the patient qualifies. What’s covered follows the care plan, so it depends on the patient’s needs.

What Medicare covers

Medicare covers care related to the patient’s main illness, including:

• Visits and care from the hospice team
• Medications for pain relief and symptom control
• Medical equipment and supplies, such as a wheelchair, a walker or bandages
• Grief support for the family
• Respite care: a short stay in a facility so family caregivers can rest

What Medicare doesn’t cover

• Treatment and prescription drugs meant to cure the illness, rather than to relieve symptoms
• Hospice care from another provider that the hospice team didn’t set up
• Room and board (housing and meals), including in a nursing home or an assisted living facility

What you may pay

With a Medicare-approved hospice, you may pay:

• Up to $5 for each prescription for pain and symptom relief
• 5% of the Medicare-approved amount for inpatient respite care

We accept Medi-Cal

If your loved one has Medi-Cal, or both Medicare and Medi-Cal, contact us. We’ll explain what’s covered in their situation.

Medicare Advantage plans

If your loved one has a Medicare Advantage plan, Original Medicare pays for hospice care related to their main illness. They can stay in their plan for other health needs as long as they keep paying the plan’s premiums.

HMO insurance plans and private pay

We accept Medicare Part A, Medi-Cal (Medicaid), major HMO insurance plans and private pay. Tell us your plan, and we’ll verify coverage before care begins.