There is no limit to the number of covered visits you can have. If you need one or more of the services Medicare pays for, then hospital insurance also covers part-time or intermittent services of home health aides, occupational and physical therapy, medical social services, and medical supplies and equipment. A hospice program provides pain relief and other support services for terminally-ill people. You can get hospice care as long as your doctor certifies that you are terminally ill and probably have less than 6 months to live. Even if you live longer than 6 months, you can get hospice care as long as your doctor recertifies that you are terminally ill.
Hospice care is given in periods of care.
At the start of each period of care, your doctor must certify that you are terminally ill in order for you to continue getting hospice care. A period of care starts the day you begin to get hospice care. If your doctor recertifies that you are terminally ill, your care continues through another period of care. Medicare medical insurance helps pay for doctors services and many other medical services and supplies that are not covered by the hospital insurance part of Medicare. Each year, you must pay an annual medical insurance deductible amount before Medicare begins paying.