The hope is to provide relief from anxiety and pain for the terminally ill beneficiary. Believe it or not our old friend the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 requires Medicare Managed Care Plans to cover members who are terminally ill if they apply for the hospice benefit. The effective date for this rule is January 1, 1999. The hospice uses the team concept in delivering the care to the terminally ill individual. The team consists of family, nurse, physician, social worker, dietician and clergy.
Specialists are available when needed.
If the beneficiary is covered by Part B of Medicare the cost of a physician not affiliated with the hospice would be covered also. The public agency or private organization providing the hospice service must be approved by Medicare to provide hospice service. The patient must be certified as terminally ill at the beginning of each period. The benefit periods may be used consecutively or at intervals. The patient has the right to cancel hospice care at any time by signing a written statement called a revocation statement.