How is hospice paid for? Hospice & Palliative Care of Cape Cod is certified by The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) and Medicare/Medicaid, accepting all patients regardless of ability to pay. Most care, supplies, durable medical equipment such as hospital beds, oxygen, and medications related to the terminal diagnosis are covered by Medicare, Medicaid, and most insurance providers. Hospice is paid for through the Medicare Hospice Benefit, Medicaid Hospice Benefit, and most private insurers. Patients not eligible for Medicare or Medicaid, or who have no private insurance hospice benefit and have limited resources, may apply for financial assistance, which is funded through community donations. At times, a terminally ill patient’s terminal disease process improves or may enter the remission stage. If that were to occur, you may feel that your patient is no longer medically eligible for hospice care. Also, your hospice patients always have the right to stop receiving hospice services, for any reason. If they choose to stop hospice services, they will return to the full Medicare coverage and eligibility they were receiving prior to their election of the hospice benefit. If you deem them to be eligible at a later date, they can go back to hospice care at any time. What does it cost? The patient’s insurance (Medicare/Medicaid or private payer) will cover the cost of medications and supplies related to the hospice diagnosis, as well as nurse, social worker, and spiritual counselor visits. However, insurance does not cover the daily room & board rate for our residence. The daily rate is the responsibility of the patient or the patient’s family. No one is refused admission due to inability to pay the full rate. If finances are a concern, we will work with patients to determine an acceptable fee for service. Our philanthropy department raises funds from the community to enable us to extend our services to anyone regardless of ability to pay. A member of the hospice team will provide patients with a package of information including any necessary documentation that needs to be completed prior to admission to the house. We are glad to arrange visits to tour the McCarthy Care Center.