Health & Balance

When you have decided to pursue hospice care, you will need to complete documents to determine your eligibility and insurance coverage and to outline your treatment preferences. These documents include:

• Health care agent or medical power of attorney. For more information, see the topic Choosing a Health Care Agent.
• Living will. For more information, see the topic Writing an Advance Directive.
• Insurance forms. Hospice services are covered by Medicare, by Medicaid in most states, and by many private insurance plans. If you plan to receive Medicare hospice benefits, you and your doctor will need to complete forms. Check with your employer or your health insurance plan for information about what services your plan covers. Many hospices will also help people who cannot pay by applying for money from other sources.
• Legal documents related to finances, property, and other matters.

Your doctor or a member of your health care team may refer you to a hospice program. If not, you may want to ask your doctor to do so. If you are arranging for hospice care, look for the kinds of hospice services you want.

• A checklist(What is a PDF document?) can be helpful when you are choosing a hospice program. This checklist has questions you can ask to compare the hospice programs in your area.
• You may need to identify hospice programs in your area. People and organizations that can help you find hospice programs in your area include:
  • Your doctor or hospital.
  • The medical social worker at your hospital or nursing home.
  • Your state or local agency on aging.
  • State health department.
  • Your insurance provider.
  • The phone book. (Look in the yellow pages under "home care" or "hospice.")
  • Your state hospice organization.
  • National organizations such as the National Association for Home Care, the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, and the Hospice Association of America. For contact information, see the Other Places to Get Help section of this topic.
• All hospice programs should provide written materials that describe their services, including who provides the services, who is eligible, costs and payment processes, and the program's insurance and liability information. Ask for this information, and read it carefully.

Choose a hospice program. Start by calling some of the programs in your area. Choose the program that best fits your needs by asking questions based on your checklist(What is a PDF document?).

After you have begun the hospice program, you will want to:

• Get all billing arrangements in writing, including costs and payment arrangements. Be sure to keep a copy.
• Be sure that your family knows what services you are to receive from the program and what the schedule is.
• Be sure that everyone in your family knows the names and phone numbers of important contact people at the hospice. Post this information near your telephone.
• Ensure that your family will get the support they need after you die. Choose one person who will be responsible for notifying family and friends about support group meetings, bereavement counseling opportunities, and other services that the hospice program may provide after a loved one dies.