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How Do You Qualify for Hospice Care at Home?
Date Updated: July 26, 2024
Written by:
Rachel Lustbader is a writer and editor with a background in healthcare and technology. Her work has been published on websites including HealthCare.com, BiteSizeBio.com, BetterHelp.com, Caring.com, and PayingforSeniorCare.com. She studied health science and public health at Boston University.
Both of Rachel’s grandmothers had very positive experiences in senior living communities, and Rachel saw firsthand the impact that kind, committed caregivers and community managers can have on seniors’ and their family members’ lives. With her work at Caring, Rachel hopes to help other families find communities, caregivers, and at-home products that benefit elderly loved ones and make life less stressful for family caregivers
You qualify for hospice care at home if you have a terminal illness with a life expectancy of six months or less. Medicare requires you to sign a statement selecting comfort care measures instead of treatment for the underlying illness. In addition, your primary care physician and the hospice physician must certify the terminal diagnosis. You also need to sign a statement confirming you choose hospice care instead of other treatments covered by Medicare for your terminal diseases and related illnesses.
What Does Medicare Cover for Hospice Care?
Services include:
- Medical and nursing care
- Grief and spiritual counseling
- Occupational and physical therapy
- Help with housekeeping tasks
- Medical supplies, social services and nutrition counseling
Medicare also pays for up to five days of respite care at an inpatient facility. This benefit provides a break for family caregivers.
When Should You Start Hospice Care?
You should start hospice care when you feel ready to stop treatment for a terminal illness and receive comfort care for the remainder of your life. Consider talking to your doctor and your loved ones about hospice if you:
- Think treatment affects your quality of life
- Struggle with frequent hospitalizations
- Need more support for the physical and emotional symptoms of your illness
Many people wait to start hospice after a terminal diagnosis because they have trouble having the conversation or they don’t know if they qualify for this type of coverage. Enrolling earlier provides benefits such as better symptom management and strong family connections.