| Who Pays for Hospice Care? |
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ARTICLE SUMMARY Bills are beginning to pile up. Your loved one is suffering, in pain, and may be dying. Where can you turn for help? Hospice care may be what you need. Who pays for hospice:
Hospice care is cost effective for the patient. The patient will have little, if any costs out of their own pocket. If your loved one is eligible – has been diagnosed with a terminal illness, and good hospice care services are available, then you should choose hospice care for your loved one. Who pays for hospice care? FULL ARTICLE Bills are beginning to pile up. Your loved one is suffering, in pain and may be dying. Where can you turn for help? Hospice care may be what you need. Hospice is a paid Medicare benefit – if you are a Medicare beneficiary, you are eligible for hospice care. Check with your local social security office to see if you are eligible. Medicare is responsible for paying the cost of hospice care, and there are virtually no deductibles or co-payments to be met. Also, many employers provide a hospice benefit in their health insurance policies. Other 3rd party payors include Medicaid and the VA system Hospice companies are usually paid by Medicare and Insurance companies a flat rate for each day they provide care, called a per diem. This rate includes the medical staff time – RN visits, home health aid visits, social worker and chaplain visits. Additionally, hospice companies provide 100% of the costs of the drugs, medical supplies and medical equipment related to the treatment for the terminal illness. So if you have good insurance coverage or Medicare coverage, then most, if not all of the costs of hospice care will be covered, and you will have little, if any, to pay for out of your own pocket. Hospice is a cost effective way of receiving extra health care, when you need it the most. Many studies, including governmental studies, prove that the government saves money on hospice care because patients wish to die at home. Dying at home is far cheaper than costly trips to the hospital emergency room, and government providers recognize this fact. Hospice care is also cost effective for the patient. The patient will have little, if any costs out of their own pocket. If your loved one is eligible – has been diagnosed with a terminal illness, and good hospice care services are available, there is every reason you should choose hospice care for your loved one. |