Considering hospice care for your loved one is difficult enough as it is.
The consideration itself brings a loss of expectations and a realization that your loved one is beginning their transition out of this world.
Here at Envision Hospice, we truly believe that hospice care can be one of the most effective ways to improve your loved one’s quality of life, regardless of the life-limiting illness they may be suffering from. However, we are also keenly aware of the stressful conversations and logistical obstacles that come flooding into your life alongside this difficult conversation.
So when it comes to the stressful topic of the cost of hospice care, we want to put your mind at ease by providing clear, honest answers that will help you plan what’s best for you and your loved one.
Cost of Hospice Care with Medicare
If your loved one qualifies for Medicare, here are the following cost considerations to keep in mind while considering hospice care. If you are unsure about whether or not your loved one is receiving Medicare benefits, you can consult their primary physician or use the information provided by Medicare.gov for caregivers.
Hospice Care Coverage:
For individuals with Medicare benefits, the cost of hospice care is covered 100%. Yes, that’s right — individuals with Medicare have their hospice care costs completely covered.
For the majority of healthcare costs, Medicare benefits cover approximately 80% of the overall cost, leaving the remaining 20% as a co-pay for the beneficiary. However, we’re proud to let you know that hospice care is an exception to that rule. During this difficult time, cost is the last thing you should be concerned about, and through Medicare, it will be. We hope it brings you and your family peace to know that 100% of your loved one’s hospice care costs are covered through Medicare.
Additional Cost Factors:
To make sure you don’t experience any unfortunate cost surprises while considering the cost of hospice care for your loved one through Medicare, we want to make you aware of a unique cost factor that may impact your bottom line.
Medication is an additional cost that may not be covered by Medicare if an individual chooses to go outside the contracted medications provided through their hospice care. For example, if your loved one prefers to take Motrin (ibuprofen) instead of a contractually provided medication like Tylenol (acetaminophen), this may be an additional cost that your family or loved one must cover.
Consult your hospice care physicians about your loved one’s medication preferences in order to have a clear understanding of any medications that may be outside the contracted medications.
Cost of Hospice Care with Private Insurance:
If your loved one does not have Medicare benefits, here are the general cost considerations to be aware of as your family considers hospice care.
Hospice Care Coverage:
Though coverage varies for each private insurance provider, most private insurances have hospice care benefits similar to Medicare. Though we unfortunately cannot guarantee that your costs will be completely covered by private insurance as they are by Medicare, we encourage you to consult with your insurance provider in order to learn the specific coverages they offer for hospice care.
We wish we could offer more specific information regarding the cost of hospice care when it comes to private insurance, but we’re confident that most providers prioritize this difficult time in life from a cost standpoint similar to Medicare.
Additionally, if you’re having trouble understanding the hospice care benefits provided by your insurance provider, our team would love the opportunity to help guide you through the process of finding answers.
Additional Cost Factors:
Though the specific costs outside of the hospice care benefits your insurance provider gives varies from carrier to carrier, here are some general cost factors to keep in mind.
We encourage you to ask your insurance provider about the following coverages while determining the cost of hospice care:
- Medicine: Just like Medicare, medication preferences that are outside the contracted medications covered by your hospice care may come at an additional cost.
- Co-pays: If your insurance provider does not cover hospice costs 100%, it’s important to know what percentages they do cover and what procedures and services will warrant the use of a co-pay.
Here at Envision Hospice, we want to alleviate the stressful burden of pinpointing the cost of hospice care for your loved one. If you have additional questions or concerns after reading this post or if you’re struggling to get clear answers on what hospice care will specifically cost you and your loved one, please reach out to our team of experts to find clear and compassionate answers.