Admission Criteria
Who Can Request Hospice Services?
- Patient
- Family Members or Friends
- Physician
- Other Healthcare Professionals
Contacting Alternative Hospice early, even if you are not sure if hospice is the best option, help ensure that your loved ones are made as comfortable as possible, and families are provided with the support they need to understand what to expect as their loved one's illness progresses.
What To Expect?
- Our Hospice Admissions Representative will schedule a personal consultation with you and your family.
- Each patient is evaluated to determine their prognosis and to assess if their medical goals are consistent with what hospice provides.
- Prior to admission, a physician's referral is obtained, and the hospice assessment is completed. State and federal regulations require that all hospices substantiate hospice eligibility.
How is Hospice Care Paid For?
Medicare patients are fully covered for all Alternative Hospice services related to their terminal illness and have no out of pocket expenses. Private insurance and HMO plans will often cover hospice services through a specific hospice benefit or through hospital, home health or private duty benefits. Families are responsible for any remaining balance unpaid by insurers.
It has been proven that hospice care is substantially less expensive than the typical cycle of hospitalization and home health agency care. Our Hospice Admissions Coordinator will help you determine your eligibility for Medicare or insurance benefits and if necessary, assist in finding resources for your family.
A Thought
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) urges physicians to make early referrals for those with life limiting disease, noting:
- Prognoses do not have to be certain, as some end-stage conditions have unpredictable courses.
- Patients may initially improve on hospice.
- Patients may be in hospice care longer than six months.