Hospice services provide palliative care (relief of pain and uncomfortable symptoms), as opposed to curative care, to terminally ill individuals. In addition to meeting the patient's medical needs, hospice care addresses the physical, psychosocial, and spiritual needs of the patients as well as the psychosocial needs of the patient's family and caregiver(s).
Hospice services are available to Medicaid recipients who choose to elect the benefit and who have been certified to be terminally ill with a life expectance of six months or less by their attending physician and/or Medical Director of the hospice agency. Hospice services are provided according to a plan of care that has been developed by an interdisciplinary staff of the hospice agency. Covered services include nursing care, medical social services, physician services, dietary and bereavement counseling, medical appliances, and supplies, drugs which are used for the relief of pain and symptom control related to the terminal illness, biological, short term inpatient care, home health aide services, homemaker services, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy. Because the hospice benefit provides an all-encompassing plan of care and services, the Medicaid recipient must waive all rights to other Medicaid benefits for services related to the treatment of the terminal condition for the duration of the hospice care.
Hospice services may be provided in nursing facilities, community residential care facilities, as well as in the homes of Community Long Term Care clients.
