How can I afford hospice care?
Eighty percent of people who use hospice care are over the age of 65, and are thus entitled to the services offered by the Medicare Hospice Benefit. The benefit covers virtually all aspects of hospice care with little out-of-pocket expense to the patient or family. As a result, the financial burdens usually associated with caring for a terminally ill patient are virtually nonexistent. In addition, most private health plans as well as Louisiana Medicaid cover hospice services.

What is not covered?
The following services are not covered under the Medicare Hospice Benefit: Services for conditions unrelated to the terminal illness, or services for the terminal diagnosis that are not called for in the hospice care plan or arranged for by the hospice program.

Is Medicare coverage forfeited if hospice care is chosen?
Not at all. A patient retains full Medicare coverage for any health care needs not related to the terminal diagnosis, even if the patient elects hospice care.

As a Medicare beneficiary, I've enrolled in a Medicare + Choice Plan. Can I still receive hospice care?
Yes. Medicare's hospice benefit is still available to HMO enrollees. Even better, these services can be provided by Generations Hospice.

Who qualifies for hospice care?
Hospice care is for any person who has been certified by their doctor and the hospice Medical Director as being terminally ill and has a life expectancy of six months or less. Patients with both cancer and non-cancer illnesses are eligible to receive hospice care.

How does hospice serve patients and families?
Hospice care considers the patient and family together as the unit of care. It is a family-centered approach. The hospice team works collaboratively focusing on the dying patient’s needs be they physical, psychological or spiritual. The goal is to help keep the patient as pain-free and lucid as possible, with loved ones near by until death.

What about other insurance plans?
Hospice services are a covered benefit of Louisiana Medicaid and many private insurers.

How long can a patient receive hospice care?
Under the Medicare and Louisiana Medicaid Hospice Benefit… For as long as the physicians continue to recertify the terminal illness, patients can receive hospice care. Two 90-day periods of care are followed by an unlimited number of 60-day periods, as long as the patient remains eligible.

Does Hospice just care for patients with cancer?
While a majority of our patients have cancer, each individual patient is assessed for hospice appropriateness. Hospice routinely services patients with end-stage congestive heart failure, COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease), Alzheimer's and other diseases. The key to hospice appropriateness is individual assessment and prognosis.

Can Hospice care be provided in Nursing Homes?
Yes. Hospice services are designed to be provided wherever the patient resides. While typically provided in the patient's private residence, hospice services can be provided in an assisted living facility, a nursing home or other residential setting.

What is Generations Hospice's Service Area?
Generations Hospice is licensed to provide hospice services to patients and their families within a 50 mile radius of our office.  Click here to view our service map.