Financial Information
Who pays for hospice?
Medicare, Medi-Cal and some private insurances cover the cost of hospice services.
What is the difference between Medicare and Medi-Cal?
Medicare
Medicare is a health insurance program based on federal and state laws. Under Medicare Part A, all the following services are covered when utilizing the hospice benefit:
- Medical Director services
- Skilled nursing services
- Certified home health aide services
- Social work services
- Spiritual counselor services
- Bereavement services
- Volunteer services
- Short-term inpatient level of care
- Short-term respite level of care
- Durable medical equipment
- Hospice related medical supplies
- Hospice related wound supplies
- Hospice related medications
- Physical Therapy services
- Occupational Therapy services
- Speech Pathology services
- Specialty programs offered by the hospice company
For more information on Medicare, visit https://www.medicare.gov/
Medi-Cal
Medi-Cal is the Medicaid health care program for the state of California. When utilizing the hospice benefit Medi-Cal typically covers the cost of room and board when a patient’s residence is a nursing facility. When a hospice appropriate patient is not yet eligible for Medicare benefits, Medi-Cal may step in as the primary payor source for all the hospice services.
For more information on Medi-Cal, visit http://www.dhcs.ca.gov/Pages/default.aspx
Private Insurances
If a hospice appropriate patient has a private insurance as their primary payor source, the hospice company will take the necessary steps to inquire the needed prior authorization on behalf of the patient.