Medicare Part A

• For you to qualify for hospice care under Medicare, you'll need to have Medicare Part A, which is essentially the coverage for hospital care, some home care and other inpatient facilities. Usually, a person who has paid taxes though a job or business will have (as will his spouse) this kind of coverage. Simply look at your insurance card to see what type of coverage you currently have. That being said, there may still be the option to purchase, so to speak, this sort of coverage for you and your spouse.
  
  

Criteria

• For you to be eligible for hospice care under Medicare, there are certain conditions that must first be met. Besides having the proper coverage, you'll also need some sort of certification from both a doctor and a hospice director stating that you have less than six months to live. You'll also need to waive treatment for the illness itself since you're now opting for care in the vein of hospice. You must also choose a program that is approved by Medicare. Once all of these conditions are met, you'll be able to start hospice care.
  
  

Hospice

• With Medicare, the majority of your hospice care will be covered, including any sort of equipment and supplies needed for your care, your doctor and nurses, hospice professionals (both on site and in-home), certain therapy and counseling services (grief and loss for the entire family), inpatient care and other services or equipment approved by Medicare. However, there may be some copayments required for certain items, like medications for pain management and respite care, which is essentially care for when your caregiver is in need of some rest.
  
  

Coverage

• It should also be mentioned that Medicare will not cover certain items while you are in hospice, especially if you or your family do not contact a member of the hospice team before starting some other treatment. This would also include mortgage or rental payments and any food, even if you've been put on a diet plan to accommodate symptoms related to your illness.
  
  

Misconceptions

• While you may be waiving treatment for your terminal illness, meaning you are no longer seeking a cure, and opting for hospice instead, it doesn't mean that Medicare will no longer cover any other care not related to hospice. You would still be covered for any other problems or issues that are not a result of your illness, so your medical rights remain intact.
  
  

Significance

• Remember that just because you've begun hospice care doesn't mean you need to stay with it, even if it is being paid for by Medicare. A number of people have decided to give treatment another try. In this case, hospice care will simply stop, and your regular coverage will begin again. However, this may affect hospice care later if treatment is not successful.