Compassionate Hospice Care That Honors Every Moment

Generally: (1) a hospice/attending physician certifies a life expectancy of six months or less if the disease runs its normal course, (2) you choose hospice and accept comfort-focused care instead of treatments aimed at curing the terminal illness, and (3) you receive care from a Medicare-certified hospice (for Medicare coverage).

• Medicare: Hospice and terminally related care are generally covered at 100%. If there are any exceptions, the hospice team will notify you in advance. Room and Board costs, except for Hospice respite or general inpatient care short stays, are not covered.
• Medicaid: Usually covered; cost-sharing varies by state.
• Private insurance/Medicare Advantage: Many plans cover hospice similarly to Medicare; check your benefits. We can check them for you.

Yes. Both Medicare and Medicaid cover most hospice services related to a patient’s terminal illness, including nursing and medical care, medications, medical equipment and supplies, social work, chaplaincy, and bereavement support.

Both Medicare and Medicaid cover hospice care for as long as the patient remains eligible. Hospice benefits are structured in periods — two initial 90-day periods, followed by an unlimited number of 60-day periods.

Before each new benefit period, a hospice physician must recertify that the illness is still considered terminal (with a life expectancy of six months or less).

Medicaid programs generally follow the same recertification and time-period structure as Medicare, though specific rules and documentation requirements may vary by state.

There’s no fixed limit. You can continue as long as the hospice doctor recertifies that your illness remains terminal. Some people graduate from hospice if their condition improves; you can re-enroll later if eligible.

An interdisciplinary team provides nursing and medical care, medications, medical equipment (hospital beds, oxygen, for example), supplies, social work, chaplaincy, aide services, therapies when needed, and bereavement support for family after a death. Medicare recognizes four levels of care: routine home care, continuous home care, general inpatient care, and inpatient respite.

Usually at home, but it can also be provided in nursing facilities, assisted living, or a hospital/inpatient hospice unit when symptoms require that level of care.

Hospice provides intermittent visits and 24/7 on-call support, not round-the-clock sitters at home. If symptoms become unmanageable, short-term continuous home care or general inpatient care may be used.

Once a referral is received and the patient elects hospice, hospices move quickly to admit and begin services; timing can vary based on clinical urgency and patient/family preference. (Medicare Conditions of Participation require prompt assessment and a comprehensive plan of care within the first few days)  Crossbridge Hospice often admits patients the same day a referral is received.