Eligibility for Medicare Paid Hospice
Medicare Part A covers hospice care for eligible patients. To be eligible, the following criteria must be met:
1. The patient must be expected to live less than 6 months if the disease follows the expected course.
2. The patient must be certified as terminally ill by the attending physician and the director of the local hospice center within 48 hours of entering the hospice care program.
3. The patient must actively choose the hospice care option, which prohibits them from seeking regular Medicare reimbursement for curative treatment.