Many patients often ask whether Medicare covers non-medical hospice care. Medicare covers terminally ill patients who have no intention of pursuing curative treatment. The insurer offers hospice comprehensive benefits that cover a vast range of services such as counseling, nursing care, palliative medications, and also a maximum of respite care of five days to aid family caregivers. In most cases, the hospice care is extended to patients in their homes. Patients under Medicare who opt for the benefits of hospice have very little if any liabilities of cost sharing for a number of hospice services. For a person to qualify for the Medicare hospice coverage, a physician must give confirmation that such a person has six months or less to live.
While hospice care is very beneficial it is also good to have a person that has undergone end of Life Doula training to walk with you in your journey of illness. There are several bodies that offer doula givers- end of life doula trainings and you can search on the internet to get more information on how to be linked to one. Doula givers will also assist you in your end of life planning and ensure your wishes are met.
Suzannebobrien 