FREQUETLY QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS (NEED NEW TAB)

FAQ TAB NEEDS TO BE ADDED

Q: I fear I will be in constant pain if I remain in my home.
A: The clinical staff of PHS Hospice is specially trained to manage your pain at all times. They work with your doctor to make sure you are comfortable.

Q: I feel I will be a burden to my family or feel abandoned.
A: Scheduled, routine visits from the hospice staff will assist you and educate your loved ones in your care. These visits will help your family and caregivers feel supported and cared about by their Hospice Team. You will look forward to their visits.

Q: What if something happens in the middle of the night?
A: PHS Hospice has registered nurses able to respond 24 hours a day. They are only a phone call away.

Q: Adding the hospice service must cost me or my family something?
A: Typically, the Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance benefit covers most, if not all, services related to your illness.

Q: If I take advantage of hospice, will I have to discontinue treatments that ease my pain or provide comfort?

A: No. PHS Hospice coordinates services with your doctor’s orders to have access to those services that aid your comfort.

Q: Can I get a walker or other supplies to help me get around?
A: Yes. PHS Hospice arranges the delivery of medical supplies, equipment and medications to sustain your mobility and independence.

Q: Can PHS Hospice give support to my loved ones?
A: Our Chaplain and Social Worker will offer emotional and spiritual support for your loved ones. Family services and support groups are offered to families and caregivers to provide education and support. The entire Hospice Team will form a “circle of care” around the patient and family, offering loving support and encouragement.

Q: Will my Medicare benefits pay for the PHS Hospice program?
A: Yes. All patients who meet the eligibility criteria are fully covered under their Medicare benefit.

Q: What if I decide that hospice care isn’t for me after I enter the program?
A: Patients and families reserve the right to decide treatment for themselves. If a patient or family member elects to no longer receive hospice care, he or she care return to their original care plan.

Who Pays for Hospice

Many private insurance companies, Medicare and Medicaid cover services provided by Hospice Care Options. The Hospice Benefit for Medicare patients helps cover medication, medical equipment and supplies, co-payments and family support counseling.

Medicare hospice patients must:
• Be covered by Medicare Part A
• Agree to “palliative, not curative care”
• Be certified by his or her physician as having a “medical prognosis that his or her life expectancy is six months or less, if illness runs its normal course”
• Continue to have a prognosis of six months or less; however, some patients are eligible for additional care as long as their prognosis continues to be limited

Patients in a Medicare Hospice program do not lose their other Medicare benefits. Usually, all costs associated with the care of the patient’s illness are covered under the program. At times, patients may be required to pay an out-of-pocket nursing home room and board fee.

The benefits provided by many private insurance companies are similar to those of the coverage provided by Medicare, although each plan and company differs. For information regarding your personal coverage, please contact your insurance provider.