The patient must sign a statement choosing hospice care for the life-limiting illness. The hospice care must be from a Medicare-approved hospice program. The patient's physician must certify that the patient has an illness with a life expectancy of six months or less.
Hospice care is a unique individualized plan of care tailored to patient and family needs.
Medicare pays Hospice of Baltimore directly for the cost of all reasonable and necessary covered services it provides for the palliative treatment of a life-limiting illness. Hospice of Baltimore waives the co-payments on medications and inpatient respite care. Education and counseling for family members is covered. Volunteers are available as needed to provide chore type services and to make the caregiver's role easier. Home health aides assist with the patient's personal needs.