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Is the person on Hospice also on Medicare? If so, Medicare must think the cost is reasonable to pay it. They may have only been there 6x in 6 months but a Nurse was on call 24/7. An aide should have been provided for bathing at least 2x a week. Durable equipment is provided. Depends, wipes and chuxs are provided. As is Morphine and anxiety meds. Those 6x was probably RN checking in once a week. With my Mom on Hospice in a NH, I never received a statement of the cost of the care. Probably because she owed nothing.
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We brought in Hospice the last month and a half of my mothers life. It did help her as she felt that she was getting more care than that which AL itself could provide.

Medicare covered the cost. She was happy to stay in her own room and not have to go to either the Hospice facility or the hospital.

Worked for her and us.
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Because they are a bunch of crooks!
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Most hospices have become the darlings of hedge funds. They are down now to rote routine. Two to three bedbaths per aid per week. One RN visit per week. One phone call from Social Worker. One phone call from clergy. Medications. Equipment rentals. For this they are paid enormous amounts out of Medicare directly. They used to be more flexible and to be there according to needs and be there more for the family. That said it is the best we have and we have little of it left, which is very sad. I was so thrilled to get Hospice from across the pond in the late 70s. It was once marvelous. It is, unless you can find rare in facility care, a shadow of what it was and remains very lucrative to the big pockets guys.
Just the American way. Like our can sizes, we are all about giving you less and less and charging you more and more. That's how we roll.
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Medicare, Medicaid and most insurance will cover the cost of Hospice.
If there is no insurance most Hospice have a "Foundation or charitable" arm that can help cover the cost.
To be compliant with Medicare guidelines a Nurse is REQUIRED to see the Hospice patient each WEEK,
So in 6 months that nurse should have seen the patient at least 24 times.
A CNA will typically see a patient 2 times a week (the CNA is not a Medicare requirement so they do not have to see the patient if the patient or family does not want the CNA) But the CNA visits would be a total of 48.
Also part of the Team is a Social Worker, Chaplain and other "therapies" are also part of the team.
Part of the cost also is all the equipment and supplies that are part of what Hospice provides.
Hospital bed, commode, wheelchair, walker, briefs, absorbent under pads, medications. oxygen and other items as needed by the patient.

If you are not getting what you are supposed to be getting you should..
1) Talk to the Hospice Team Care Manager.
2) File a complaint with Medicare,
3. If you are not satisfied with the response from the Hospice care manager PLEASE contact another Hospice . All Hospice are not created equal and there are some great ones and some not so great. You and your Loved One deserve to get the quality care from compassionate people that care about what they do and about their patients.
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I don’t know the details but I expect that covers staff time managing medications and communications. It’s not a fee per service, it’s taking full responsibility for the patient.
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Medicare is willing to pay hospice fees because it's still a lot less expensive than hospitals, ERs, ambulance rides and medical treatment fees an elder would rack up in a month. The charges are between the hospice company and Medicare.
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