One of the most amazing aspects of hospice care is that patients almost never have to pay a dime for care. In the vast majority of cases, 100% of the costs associated with hospice care will be covered by Medicare through the Medicare Hospice Benefit. This includes the costs of the patient’s interdisciplinary medical team, medication, bereavement support, inpatient care, home visits, and medical equipment.

Other Forms of Payment

In some cases, a patient might not qualify for Medicare coverage or prefer to use another method of payment. Although these cases are extremely rare, if this situation ever arises the following options can be used.

Medicaid- In most states, Medicaid will also provide hospice coverage for patients who need it.

Private Insurance- Most private insurance plans and HMOs will also include a hospice care provision for those who do not qualify for Medicare or Medicaid.

Veterans’ Benefits- The Veteran’s Health Administration can also provide hospice coverage for those who qualify.

Out of Pocket- If a patient doesn’t qualify for Medicare, Medicaid, private insurance, or VA coverage, they can always pay for hospice care out of pocket. Again, this is incredibly rare and only accounts for less than 1% of hospice patients in a given year.

No one should have to deal with medical bills while going through end of life care, which is why hospice is such a great option. If you’re looking for a hospice care provider and have questions about payments or anything else, call Cura-HPC today.