My MIL is currently in a nursing home with Medicaid pending. Someone, I'm not even sure who (we're dealing with so many people -- social workers, caseworkers, hospital people, nursing home people), suggested having her apply for hospice on the grounds that Medicare would then pay hospice bills, and they are more prompt and reliable about payment than Medicaid. My husband was at a meeting about this yesterday, and they wanted him to sign something saying he would pay if Medicare didn't. He refused, so I guess she won't get hospice. Probably doesn't really matter. She is already on palliative care.
It isn't that we aren't willing to help MIL financially. We have been doing that for years. It's just that this sounds like asking us to write a blank check. Medical costs can be very high, and if Medicare refuses to pay after charges have been made, it seems like we could lose everything we have if DH were to sign what they wanted him to.
Does anyone know if this is standard procedure for hospice?
In a nut shell, Hospice does not bill you for the care they give. Note that Hospice does not pay for room and board in a facility, it is up to Mother-in-law to pay, be it self-pay or by way of Medicaid. I have a feeling that is where the mix-up begins.
Both my parents had Hospice. Both were in different facilities at different times. Never got a bill from Hospice. Now, my parents had to pay the facilities the room/board and routine care.
Hospice does not cover room and board, so if Medicaid is turned down, it is the nursing home that will lose out.
I wouldn't waste time investigating other hospice organizations. This is not a hospice rule.
You can't blame the NH for wanting to get paid, no matter what, but you sure don't have to sign up to be the ones that pay them.
Could that be it?
Seems like the solution would be to apply for hospice. If it gets approved, start hospice. Nobody should have to sign any financial promises.
I'm not really too worried about MIL getting hospice. She is in a clean, safe place where she is getting good care and is physically comfortable. Mentally, not so much. She is demanding to go home and just gets madder when DH tries to explain why we think that would be a bad idea.
Thanks again, everybody on the forum. The advice I have gotten here has been a lot of help. I'm really glad I found this site.
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