MEDICARE will cover the hospice care you get for your terminal illness, but it must be from Medicare-approved hospice provider.

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Medicare will still pay for covered benefits for any health problems that are not related to your terminal illness.

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Medicare (and Medicaid/Medi-Cal and most private insurance plans) covers the following hospice services for your terminal illness and related conditions:

• Doctor Services

• Nursing care

• Medical equipment such as wheelchair, walker, oxygen concentrator

• Medical supplies such as bandages, catheters, oxygen tubings

• Drugs for symptom control or pain relief, may need to pay a small co-pay

• Hospice aide and homemaker services

• Physical, occupational therapy and speech-language therapy

• social worker services

• Dietary counseling services

• Grief and loss counseling for you and your family

• Short-term inpatient care (for pain and symptom management)

• Short-term respite care (may need to pay a small co-pay). Respite care is given to a hospice patient by another caregiver so the usual caregiver can rest. During the period of respite care, you will be cared for in a medicare-approved facility such as a hospice facility, hospital or nursing home. You can stay for up to 5 days each time you get respite care. There is NO limit to the number of times you can get respite care.

• Bereavement services after the loved one has passed away

• Any other Medicare-covered seervices needed to manage your pain and other symptoms as recommended by your hospice team.