In order to be eligible to elect hospice care under Medicare, an individual must be entitled to Part A of Medicare and certified as being terminally ill by a physician and having a prognosis of six-months or less if the disease runs its normal course.

Patient Eligibility for Hospice Benefits

There are no absolute rules to qualify for hospice services but the following are guidelines commonly used to determine hospice care eligibility.

• Two physicians, the attending physician and the hospice medical director, must certify the patient is terminally ill, with a six-month-or less-life expectancy if the disease takes its normal course

• The patient and/or family must be aware of the prognosis and elect palliative or comfort care, rather than active curative measures

• Patient or family (if the patient cannot do so) must give informed consent

• Care must be provided by a Medicare-certified hospice

• Hospice benefits can also be obtained through private, for-profit insurance policies

• A patient may revoke the benefit and return to regular Medicare coverage at any time without jeopardizing his/her ability to resume care financed by the Medicare Hospice Benefit in the future

Hospice is not only for those with a life-limiting illness due to a cancer diagnosis

Hospice is also available for patients meeting the above eligibility with the following diagnosis:

• Heart Disease

• Lung Disease

• Parkinson’s Disease

• Liver Disease

• Kidney Disease

• End-Stage Alzheimer’s and other forms of Dementia