Hospice care is covered under Medicare Part A. There is currently no Medicaid Hospice benefit for adults in Oklahoma. If the patient has Medicare A or certain categories of Medicaid coverage, he/she may be eligible. A hospice staff member will help you determine eligibility. If the Medicare hospice benefit is elected the following will be covered as long as these items or services are:
If the patient has private insurance, we will verify whether he/she has hospice coverage and its scope. If the patient has two insurance policies, please inform your hospice team, so they can coordinate and maximize the coverage. We will bill you for co-pays, co-insurance and deductibles. Payment plans are always available through the business office.
Office visits to see your primary physician are covered under the Medicare hospice benefit. If the patient’s insurance is primary and includes a co-pay for the office visit, you are responsible to pay this fee.
If you access care without consulting your hospice team, neither Hospice nor Medicare/Medicaid will be responsible for the charges associated with the care the patient was given.
If the patient decides to change to a curative approach the Medicare hospice benefit will switch to his/her regular Medicare benefit. If the patient returns to a comfort-oriented mode of treatment, he/she can receive hospice care again.
At INTEGRIS Hospice we have an obligation to bill all patient for the service we offer, regardless of the patient’s health care insurance coverage. Even if the patient has no health care insurance or is under-insured, a bill is sent for hospice services.
If the patient has limited or no coverage for hospice services, hospice staff will complete a financial assessment to determine his/her potential eligibility for financial aid and /or charity care.
For further information please refer to https://www.medicare.gov/Pubs/pdf/02154-Medicare-Hospice-Benefits.pdf
