How Long Will Medicare Pay for Hospice Care?

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Last Updated on September 6, 2021 by Frank Davis

Depending on what your specific situation is, you may be concerned about what happens if you need additional days or months of hospice care. It is a common practice to tell you that you are receiving hospice for six months. However, if your illness is terminal and you need additional days, hospice care can extend unlimited amount of time with the consent of your physician.

Our goal here is to give you an overview of the hospice care services and to go into detail as to how long Medicare covers hospice care.

Is hospice care covered by Medicare for life?

Part A of Medicare pays for hospice care at first for six months. After that six months an unlimited number of 60-day periods becomes available, if you are still considered terminally ill. In other words, hospice care is available in increments of 60 days for an indefinite period of time. Yes, you heard it right; hospice care is available for as long as you need it.

Prior to being granted extended time, your primary care doctor and hospice doctor must certify that you are terminally ill and can expect to live no more than six months. Patients usually receive hospice certification at the end stage of a disease. Some common diseases include cancer, heart disease, dementia, respiratory illnesses, and stroke. Doctors typically give patients a six-month prognosis, but it is difficult to predict the prognosis since everyone’s body works differently. Sometimes the disease progresses slowly, requiring more time, while in rare instances, the patient improves in health.

Up to 15 days prior to hospice care being selected, initial certifications and recertifications at the hospice agency need to be completed, so that the transition into continuing hospice care runs smoothly and you won’t miss a day of hospice services.

Reasons why hospice care is not extended beyond 6 months

The reason for hospice care not being extended is due to two reasons. We have outlined them below.

1. The hospice may remove you from care if your health has improved and you no longer have a 6 month or less life expectancy.
2. As a result of your decision to resume curative treatment, you have stopped hospice care.

Medicare’s coverage of hospice care

Medicare, Part A, covers hospice for patients who decline treatment. There will be no more invasive pricking or excruciating side effects from medical procedures. Hospice focuses on providing comfort by managing pain and symptoms. This includes support for the patient’s physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. Medicare covers the following services:

• Doctor services
• Nursing care
• Medical equipment (like wheelchairs or walkers)
• Medical supplies (like bandages and catheters)
• Prescription drugs
• Hospice aide and homemaker services
• Physical and occupational therapy
• Speech-language pathology services
• Social worker services
• Dietary counseling
• Grief and loss counseling for you and your family
• Short-term inpatient care (for pain and symptom management)
• Short-term respite care
• Any other Medicare-covered services needed to manage your terminal illness and related conditions, as recommended by your hospice team

Conclusion

Hospice care is available through Medicare for an unlimited amount of time, providing the patient continues to be terminally ill. Although uncommon, some hospice patients’ health can improve or their illness can go into remission. If that happens, the patient may no longer require hospice care. Fortunately, Medicare covers every aspect of hospice services, which includes everything you might need during the terminal illness. Knowing this, you may now feel at ease knowing Medicare will cover the additional amount of time, if needed.