Home Health Services
| CATEGORY | HEALTH CARE |
| SERVICE/SUPPORT TYPE | Home Health Services |
| AGENCY | Medicare |
| COST | Ask the home health agency how much Medicare will pay and what services it will provide that aren’t covered by Medicare that you will owe |
| ELIGIBILITY SUMMARY | Home Health Services Coverage (medicare.gov) |
| WEB LINK | Home Health Services Coverage (medicare.gov) |
| APPLICATION | See your doctor. Per Medicare.gov, “Usually, a home health care agency coordinates the services your doctor orders for you.” https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/home-health-services |
| ADDITIONAL INFO | *Read carefully what Medicare does and does not pay for. |
Home Health Services
| CATEGORY | HEALTH CARE |
| SERVICE/SUPPORT TYPE | Home Health Services & Home and Community-Based Services, also known by other names, are benefits of Medicaid program |
| AGENCY | Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) |
| COST | Depends, with or without a monthly Medicaid Share of Cost |
| ELIGIBILITY SUMMARY | Medicaid & Medicare Home Health Care Coverage | Does Medicare Pay? (seniorliving.org) |
| WEB LINK | Home & Community-Based Services | Medicaid |
| APPLICATION | Speak with your licensed medical provider about home health care needs to determine services and support available, and see your state’s Medicaid website for more information about what’s available in your state/region. State Overviews | Medicaid |
| ADDITIONAL INFO | Medicaid & Medicare Home Health Care Coverage | Does Medicare Pay? (seniorliving.org) Long Term Services & Supports | Medicaid Institutional Long Term Care | Medicaid |
Hospice
| CATEGORY | HEALTH CARE |
| SERVICE/SUPPORT TYPE | Hospice |
| AGENCY | Medicare – Medicaid – VA – HMO – Other private health insurance plans |
| COST | Hospice Care Coverage (medicare.gov) |
| ELIGIBILITY SUMMARY | Hospice is a type of care that is used once curative treatments are declined or one voluntarily stops eating or drinking, and one has six months or less to live, as determined by a doctor. People may have hospice at home, in-patient hospice facilities, and long-term care facilities, such as skilled nursing facilities. Generally, program referrals are made by one’s licensed medical provider. |
| WEB LINK | Hospice Care Coverage (medicare.gov) |
| APPLICATION | See Hospice Care information in the Additional Info section for information about how to apply with your particular insurance |
| ADDITIONAL INFO | Learning about Hospice Medicare Benefit Policy Manual Who Pays for Hospice? Medicare: If one has Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance) and meets all of the conditions: Hospice Care Coverage (medicare.gov) Medicaid: Hospice Benefits | Medicaid VA: Hospice Care – Geriatrics and Extended Care (va.gov) Locate a Hospice agency by name or location Hospice is a type of care that is used once curative treatments are declined or one voluntarily stops eating or drinking, and one has six months or less to live, as determined by a doctor. People may have hospice at home, in-patient hospice facilities, and long-term care facilities, such as skilled nursing facilities. Hospice expenses are covered by Medicare, Medicaid, HMOs, the Veterans Administration, and many private insurers. ACL and AoA Hospice Care Fact Sheet Medicare Hospice Benefits Hospice Foundation of America National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization Caring Connections (A Program of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization) |
Palliative Care
According to DeathWithDignity.org, “palliative care refers to the treatment of the symptoms and stress of serious illness, with the dual goals of comfort and improved quality of life. It provides relief from distressing symptoms including pain, shortness of breath, nausea, insomnia, and side effects of medications. Although people often confuse the terms hospice and palliative care, in the latter you can receive curative medical treatments. People usually receive palliative care at clinics or hospitals, but home care may be possible.”
- Caring Info provides free resources and other information for actively learning about end-of-life care and options.
- The American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine and the Center to Advance Palliative Care provide information about comfort care and how to find a palliative doctor near you.
- The Center to Advance Palliative Care evaluates how palliative care rates in each state.
- “A Deeper Understanding of Palliative Care,” an infographic by Georgetown University