Medicare and Hospice

Hospice is a special way of caring for people, and their family, who are certified terminally ill and expected to live six months or less. Hospice care may be provided in the home, or a facility such as a nursing home. Hospice coverage may include, but is not limited to:

• Physical care.
• Counseling.
• Drugs.
• Medical care.
• Nursing care.
• Social services.
• Services not usually covered by Medicare (like grief counseling).
• Inpatient respite care.
• Short-term (5 days at a time) inpatient stays for pain and symptom management.