Eligibility and Payment

Insurance pays for a wide range of support services that are aimed at keeping the patient as comfortable as possible. While each hospice has its own policies concerning payment for care, it is a principle of hospice to offer services based upon need rather than the ability to pay. While hospice care is a covered benefit under many insurance plans, many hospices also rely heavily, if not entirely, upon community support for donations to provide care to those who cannot otherwise afford it.

With many diagnoses, it can be very difficult to predict exactly how long someone may have to live. Too often, because of this uncertainty, people are not referred to hospice care early enough and receive just weeks or even days of care. In reality, there is no penalty for under estimating survival time in hospice care. Initially a physician certifies that the patient has a life expectancy of six months or less, if the disease follows its normal course. The first two certifications are for 90 days. Thereafter the physician must re-certify eligibility every 60 days. As long as the patient is re-certified, he/she remains eligible for hospice, even when it exceeds the six months time period.