Hospice & Your Family When a cure is no longer possible, hospice provides the best in medical, nursing, emotional, and spiritual care for those facing life-threatening illness and shortened life expectancy.
Hospice is not a place, but a concept of care. Whenever possible, hospice care is offered at home. Care provided in the home allows patients to live their final days to the fullest, surrounded by loved ones.
Eligibility
A patient whose physician has determined that they have a terminal illness and their life expectancy is less than six months.
A patient desiring comfort care only and not treatment for an illness.
A patient desiring to stay in their home (this includes assisted living and nursing homes).
A patient who has someone to be their primary caregiver.
Cost of Hospice Care
Medicare and/or Medicaid pay 100% of the covered hospice benefits.
The VAusually pays 100% of the covered hospice benefits.
Private health insurance has varying levels of coverage. Ask the hospice service to check the patient’s coverage and explain the benefits.
If the hospice is not-for-profit, they may offer financial assistance using donations to supplement care for patients who qualify.
Choosing a Hospice Service
Is the hospice service licensed/certified? Ask if the hospice is certified by Medicare and Medicaid and whether they are licensed by the state of Montana.
Is the hospice service based locally? Is the service a local organization with local caregivers? How quickly can they respond in an emergency? What is the geographical service area?
When do services begin? How quickly can the hospice initiate services? Do they admit on weekends?
What is the scope of services? Does the hospice offer specialized services such as physical therapists, dietitians, massage therapy, and family counselors?
Who provides equipment and supplies? Does the hospice provide medical equipment or other items that might enhance the patient’s quality of life? If not, who does?
Check their references. How long have they been serving your community? Can they provide professional references? Ask for specific names and phone numbers. Also check with the Be1er Business Bureau or State A1orney General’s office.
Can your hospice representative explain your hospice benefits? Hospice benefits can be complicated. Make sure your representative can review the benefits and answer any questions.
Does the hospice develop a plan of care? The plan should be carefully and professionally developed with the patient and family. It should include all the details of care, roles and responsibilities, and contact numbers.
Who is part of your hospice team? In addition to the family caregiver and physician, the hospice team should include at least some of the following: RN Case Manager, LPN, Home Health Aide, Volunteer Coordinator, Volunteers, Medical SocialWorker, Bereavement Coordinator, and Chaplain.
What is the quality of training and experience of your hospice team? You should know who will be caring for your family member and what their experience is so you can decide if they meet your needs.
Can the patient’s physician continue to support their care? Will the hospice service work with the patient’s physician during care?Will that physician be able to support care in an emergency or during respite care?
Where is respite care provided? Respite care may be used to give the patient’s caregiver a rest or give them an option for the patient’s care if they have an emergency. Ask where respite care is provided. Is it at a local hospital or rest home or will the patient have to be transported to another location? If it is at another location, how will they be transported?
Does the hospice provide bereavement counseling and support for the patient’s family? The loss of a loved one can be difficult. Bereavement counseling and support can help family members navigate through their grief.
