Who Pays for Hospice?

Hospice coverage is widely available among insurances. Hospice Care is provided by Medicare nationwide, by Medi-Cal in California and by most private insurance providers. If you’re not sure that your insurance covers for hospice care, then Achieva Hospice can assist in determining your eligibility for the Hospice benefit under your insurance.

What does the hospice benefit cover?

The Medicare Hospice Benefit covers the full scope of medical and support services for a life-limiting illness. This benefit covers almost all aspects of hospice care with little expense to the patient or family. In brief, hospice services cover necessary basic medical equipment, comfort related medications and visits by nurses, medical social workers, chaplains and physicians.

Is there any special equipment or changes I have to make in my home before hospice care begins?

Achieva Hospice will assess, recommend, arrange and cover any necessary equipment. Often the need for equipment is minimal in early stages of care, but usually increases as the patient’s condition deteriorates. Achieva Hospice endeavors to make hospice care as convenient and safe as possible for the patients and their families

What specific assistance does Achieva provide patients?

Achieva Hospice patients are cared for by a team consisting of a physician, a nurse, social workers, counselors, home health aides, spiritual counselors, therapists and volunteers; each of whom provides assistance based on his or her own area of expertise. In addition, Achieva Hospice provides medications, supplies, equipment, and other services related to the illness.

does achieva hospice provide 24-hour in home care?

Achieva Hospice does not provide 24 hour care giving services. Staff members are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to answer questions and visit anytime should the need for symptom management arise.  As well as direct visits, our staff can also teach a family member or caregiver how to appropriately care for a patient.

Achieva Hospice provides bedside care if the patient is experiencing out of control symptoms. During this time, the family is being taught how to appropriately care for the patient, thus bedside hospice care will not be ongoing for an extended period of time.

If the patient is eligible for Medicare, will there be any additional expense to be paid?

The Medicare Hospice Benefit covers the full scope of medical and support services for a life-limiting illness. This benefit covers almost all aspects of hospice care with little expense to the patient or family.

Is the decision for hospice care giving up hope or waiting to die?

No. Achieva Hospice strives to bring the best quality of life and comfort to a patient and their family, and it is our responsibility to help a patient and family live fully for as long as possible. Often patients will feel well enough to be active because of the pain and symptom management provided by Achieva Hospice. Hospice is an experience of care and support, different from any other type of care.

Is caring for the patient at home the only place achieva Hospice care can be delivered?

No, Achieva Hospice patients can receive care in their personal residences, as well as long term care facilities such as skilled nursing facilities, residential care facilities or a Board and Care.

What happens if i decide i don’t want to be on hospice or i’m not satisfied with my hospice agency?

There is no obligation to continue hospice services. Simply notify your care team that you wish to discontinue services. If you are dissatisfied with your hospice agency, you have the option to cancel your service or change to a different provider.

WHO is eligible for hospice?

Hospice care is for people with a terminal illness who want comfort care rather than curative treatment or if the patient no longer benefits from curative care. It is time to consider hospice care when one or more of these circumstances apply:

• Loss of function and physical decline

• Increase in hospitalizations

• Dependence on others to assist with most activities of daily living, such as toileting, feeding and dressing.

• Increase in emergency room visits for the same medical reason.

• Continuing weight loss, more than 10% of previous body weight.

• Multiple diagnosed health issues.

Each disease has its own Medicare criteria for hospice eligibility, but there must be a life-limiting illness with a prognosis of six months or less from a physician and all parties need to agree that hospice care is appropriate.

what diagnosis qualify for hospice?

Achieva Hospice will perform a clinical review of your medical records and existing medical conditions are taken into account to determine the most appropriate diagnosis. The following are the most common diagnosis used by hospice:

• Dementia with Alzheimer’s

• Cancer

• Heart Disease

• Lung Disease

• Progressive Neurodegenerative Disease