Navigating hospice care can be daunting for families and caregivers. With the variety of services and options available, it’s essential to understand what is covered and what is not. There are several factors to consider regarding hospice eligibility and coverage.
Many families must use their lifelong savings to afford hospice care for their loved ones. Fortunately, health insurance companies exist that cover the charges for hospice, enabling you to save a fortune. However, you must be aware of the insurance policy’s terms and conditions to ensure everything runs smoothly.
In today’s article, we will discuss everything you need to know about hospice eligibility and coverage, so your loved ones can get the proper care without cutting a hole in your pocket. So without wasting any time, let’s get into the details.
Who is Eligible for Hospice Care?
While hospice is one of the best end-of-life care options, the more critical question is whether the patient can avail of hospice services. Whether the insurance company will cover all your hospice expenses depends on getting the services from a hospice care provider.
Health insurance policies have various terms and conditions applicable in different situations of a patient’s life. When discussing hospice care, a patient with hospital insurance can get hospice care.
However, they must meet certain conditions the insurance company provides to avail of the hospice services and benefits. The most common criteria for hospice care are:
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- Your family and hospice doctor must declare and certify your terminal illness, i.e., the patient is expected to survive for six months or less.
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- You choose comfort care instead of treatments that cure your illness.
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- You must sign a written statement that you accept hospice care instead of other treatments covered by your insurance related to your terminal illness.
Who Pays For Hospice Care?
Hospice is one of the best ways to provide patient care, comfort, and treatment. However, a common question arises, “Who can pay for hospice care?”
In most situations, insurance companies like Medicare take entire responsibility where the finances are concerned of a hospice patient. While these regulations remain the same for years, they can face a change in the coming future.
Nevertheless, for now, everything, like treatments, therapies, doctor visits, nursing, medications, etc., is covered by insurance companies. But there are certain situations where you might not be eligible for an insurance claim to provide hospice care to the patient.
What is Covered in a Hospice Care Claim?
Starting with a consultation, you must discuss your options for hospice care with a hospice medical director or doctor. The hospice doctor will explain your hospice treatment and consult your care option.
In addition, they will also help you understand different ways of managing your pain and symptoms regarding your terminal illness. Regardless of your decision, you can always consult with experts.
Generally, hospice care is provided at home or in a comfortable palace for the patient. However, depending on the illness and its severity, the patient can also be treated at a hospice inpatient facility.
Once the condition and stage of your terminal illness are determined, your hospice plan can include all or any of the following services:
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- Nursing care
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- Doctor visits and services
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- Prescribed medication
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- Medical supplies and equipment
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- Social worker facilities
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- Occupational therapy
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- Physical therapy
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- Speech-language pathology facilities
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- Homemaker services
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- Grief and loss therapy for the patient and their family
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- Dietary counseling
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- Short-term inpatient care services to manage pain and symptoms
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- Respite care for a short-term period
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- Any other additional services that are included in your insurance policy
What is Not Covered in a Hospice Care Claim?
Even though all the costs related to your hospice treatment are covered under your health insurance policy, some special situations do not come under the terms and conditions of the hospice benefits.
You will still be eligible to receive hospice care under these conditions. However, the insurance company is not liable to pay the expenses these treatments or services bear.
1. Other Medical Conditions
The insurance company’s hospice care benefits will not cover health or medical conditions diagnosed in a patient but unrelated to their terminal illnesses.
For example, a patient is battling eczema or has glasses. Your hospice care claim will not cover the treatments, medication, doctor visits, etc.
2. Complementary Therapies:
Complementary therapies primarily consist of exercises and services that boost the patient’s healing and pain relief. Therapies like massage, physical exercise, pet interaction, and music are all excellent practices for patients battling terminal illnesses.
3. Palliative Care
Even though palliative care is a part of hospice care, it may or may not be included in your insurance policy, depending on the terms and conditions. In most cases, when a person does not fit the hospice eligibility criteria, hospice does not cover palliative care.
4. Non-Medical Expenses
Non-medical expenses can include the costs of services or amenities used for the patient that does not provide direct treatment assistance. For example, the electricity consumed by the medical equipment for the treatment does not come under hospice benefits. However, your health insurance policy covers medical equipment and other machines.
Disease-Specific Hospice Eligibility Criteria
While it is essential to know what the insurance company will cover and what not, the patient’s illness must qualify for hospice eligibility. Here is some acute disease that comes under hospice care.
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- Cancer
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- AIDS
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- Cardiopulmonary disease
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- Liver disease
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- Dementia
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- Renal disease
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- Congestive heart failure
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- Cerebral vascular disorder
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- Neurological disorder
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- Respiratory disease
The above diseases are some of the most critical disorders that need hospice care. You can read more about The ,common Diseases and Diagnoses in Hospice and Palliative care here to learn more about the disease-specific eligibility for hospice care.
Get Help Today!
Patients often suffer from having a comfortable life while battling a terminal illness. However, with some of the top-notch ,hospices in Las Vegas, people can ensure a convenient life ahead for the time they have left and can spend it with their loved ones around them.
This article will help to learn about hospice care insurance benefits. If you want your loved one to have a secure life, contact ,red rock care center as soon as possible.
