Medicare hospice benefit | Hospice in Arapahoe County CO

What Happens If You Decide to Stop Hospice Care?

May 18, 2026 by Aspen Hospice Care

You have the right to stop hospice care at any time, for any reason. Under the Medicare Hospice Benefit, this is called revocation, and it does not require justification. Stopping hospice ends your hospice election, returns you to standard Medicare Part A and Part B coverage, and allows you to pursue curative treatment again. You can also re-elect hospice later if you still meet eligibility, since Medicare provides multiple benefit periods to support that flexibility.

This guide walks through what happens after you stop hospice, what your Medicare coverage looks like, and how to return to hospice care if you choose to later.

What “Stopping Hospice Care” Actually Means

Stopping hospice care is formally called revocation. When you revoke, you sign a written statement that includes:

Your decision to stop hospice care.
The effective date you want the revocation to take effect.

The date you choose cannot be backdated. After that effective date, you are no longer enrolled in the Medicare Hospice Benefit, and your standard Medicare coverage resumes.

There are also situations where hospice care ends without a patient choosing to revoke. These are different from revocation and include:

Discharge because the patient is no longer terminally ill. If the hospice medical director determines a patient is no longer expected to live six months or less, the patient is discharged. This is sometimes called a “live discharge.”
Discharge for cause. Rare situations involving safety or disruption that make continued care impossible.
Discharge because the patient moved out of the service area. When a patient relocates beyond the hospice agency’s coverage area.

If you are unsure whether your situation is a revocation or a discharge, ask your hospice team to walk you through the paperwork. You can read more about how care begins in our guide to starting hospice care.

What Happens to Your Medicare Coverage

This is one of the most common worries: will I lose my Medicare benefits if I stop hospice?

The short answer is no. Revoking hospice care returns you to your standard Medicare coverage. That means:

Medicare Part A and Part B coverage resume for the remainder of the current benefit period.
Curative treatment becomes available again. You can pursue chemotherapy, surgery, dialysis, or other treatments your physician recommends that hospice does not cover.
You can keep your other providers. Specialists, primary care, and hospital care work as they did before hospice.

The one specific consequence to understand is that revoking forfeits the remaining days in your current hospice benefit period. Medicare structures hospice into two 90-day benefit periods followed by an unlimited number of 60-day benefit periods. If you revoke partway through a benefit period, those remaining days are not returned to you. However, the next benefit period is still available if you choose to re-elect hospice later.

For a closer look at how this structure works, see our guide to the Medicare Hospice Benefit: eligibility and coverage.

Reasons Families Choose to Stop Hospice

There is no wrong reason to revoke hospice. The decision is personal, and it often reflects something meaningful changing in the patient’s situation. Common reasons include:

A patient’s condition stabilizes or improves. Sometimes the comfort, symptom management, and rest hospice provides help a patient rally in ways that make curative treatment feel possible again.
A new treatment becomes available. Clinical trials, new drug approvals, or a second opinion may open a door that wasn’t there before.
A family disagreement reaches a turning point. Loved ones may not have been aligned at enrollment and want to revisit the decision together.
A patient changes their mind. Hospice is built on the patient’s wishes. If those wishes change, the care plan should reflect that.

If you are weighing this decision, our team can sit with you and your physician to think it through. There is no pressure either way. Our family support resources are available throughout the process.

What Hospice Provides Right Up Until You Stop

Even on the day of revocation, hospice care continues as planned. That includes:

Nursing visits and symptom management.
Personal care from CNAs and aides.
Medications and durable medical equipment related to the terminal diagnosis.
Spiritual care and support from licensed social workers.
Emotional support for the patient and family.

Care does not wind down because a decision is pending. Many families find it helpful to keep hospice in place while they discuss next steps with their physician, especially because revocation is final once the effective date passes.

Can You Return to Hospice After Stopping?

Yes. Re-electing hospice is one of the important rights built into the Medicare Hospice Benefit.

To return to hospice after revoking, you will need to:

Be re-certified as eligible. Two physicians, typically your attending physician and the hospice medical director, confirm that you have a life expectancy of six months or less if the illness runs its expected course.
Sign a new election statement. This re-enrolls you in the Medicare Hospice Benefit starting in your next available benefit period.
Choose a hospice provider. You can return to the same hospice agency or select a different one.

You can re-elect hospice as many times as you remain eligible. There is no cap on how often you can leave and return, only on the number of consecutive days per benefit period.

For a deeper look at who qualifies, visit our hospice eligibility guidelines.

A Simple Plan If You’re Considering Stopping Hospice

If you are still weighing the decision, here is a clear path that respects your time and your family’s energy:

Talk with your hospice team first. Share what’s changed and what you’re considering. They can help you understand the medical and practical implications without pressure.
Loop in your physician. Your attending doctor can clarify what curative options are realistic and what stopping hospice would mean for your overall care plan.
Discuss it as a family. If the patient is able to participate, their voice leads. If not, the appointed decision maker should bring the rest of the family into the conversation.
If you decide to stop, sign the revocation statement and choose your effective date. Your hospice team will help you complete the paperwork and coordinate the handoff back to your other providers.

If you decide to continue, that is also a valid outcome. The conversation itself is part of good care.

Talk With Our Team

Stopping hospice care is your right, and so is asking questions before you decide. If you live in the Denver Metro area or Arapahoe County and want to talk through what stopping or continuing hospice would look like for your family, we are here to help.

Call (720) 999-9854 or schedule a consultation to speak with a member of our care team. No obligation. Just clear answers when you need them.

Hospice at Home, Assisted Living, or Nursing Facility: How Care Works in Each Setting

May 11, 2026 by Aspen Hospice Care

One of the questions families ask most often before starting hospice care is a simple one: Does my loved one have to move?

The answer is no. Under the Medicare Hospice Benefit, hospice care can be provided wherever a patient calls home, whether that is a private residence, an assisted living community, or a skilled nursing facility. The setting does not determine eligibility. The patient’s diagnosis, prognosis, and goals of care do.

This guide explains exactly how that works in each of the three most common settings, so your family can make an informed decision without second-guessing where your loved one belongs.

What Stays the Same in Every Setting

Before breaking down the differences, it helps to understand what does not change regardless of where hospice is delivered.

In every setting, the Aspen Grove Hospice interdisciplinary team includes:

A medical director overseeing the care plan
Registered nurses for clinical visits and symptom management
Certified nursing assistants and aides for personal care
A licensed social worker for emotional and logistical support
A spiritual care coordinator or chaplain for comfort beyond the physical
Bereavement support for families, including for a full year after loss
Volunteer support for companionship and supplemental family relief

All of these services are covered under Medicare’s Hospice Benefit when the patient meets eligibility criteria. There are no separate fees for choosing one setting over another from a hospice coverage standpoint.

Hospice at Home

How It Works

Home is the most common setting for hospice care in the United States, and for good reason. For many patients and families, being in a familiar environment surrounded by people and belongings they love provides a level of comfort no facility can replicate.

When hospice is delivered at home, the hospice team comes to the patient. Registered nurses visit on a scheduled basis to assess symptoms, manage pain, adjust medications, and support the family caregiver. CNAs and aides assist with personal hygiene, bathing, and daily comfort tasks.

Equipment and supplies are delivered directly to the home through Aspen Grove Hospice’s durable medical equipment (DME) coordination. This may include a hospital bed, oxygen, a bedside commode, a wheelchair, or specialized mattresses, depending on the patient’s needs.

A 24/7 on-call nurse line is available for any change in condition, day or night.

What Families Should Know

Home hospice requires a family caregiver or support person to be present and engaged between scheduled visits. This is not a 24-hour in-home staffing model under routine home care. The hospice team supplements the care you provide; it does not replace the presence of someone who loves the patient.

If symptoms escalate and the patient needs more intensive support at home, hospice can authorize continuous home care, a higher level of care that provides more hours of clinical presence during a crisis period.

Home Hospice Is a Good Fit When:

The patient strongly prefers to remain at home
A reliable family caregiver or support person is available
The home environment can safely accommodate the necessary equipment
Symptoms are manageable between clinical visits

Hospice in an Assisted Living Facility

How It Works

Assisted living communities provide housing, meals, and daily support for residents, but they are not licensed to provide skilled medical care or hospice services on their own. When a resident in an assisted living community is eligible for hospice, a separate hospice provider, like Aspen Grove Hospice, partners with the facility to layer additional clinical support on top of what the facility already provides.

The hospice team visits the resident in their assisted living room or apartment, just as they would visit a patient at home. The hospice nurse manages the medical and comfort-focused aspects of care. The facility staff continues their regular duties: meals, activities, and daily assistance. The two teams coordinate together around the patient’s care plan.

Assisted Living Hospice Is a Good Fit When:

The patient is already a resident and is comfortable in that environment
The family does not want to move their loved one during the final chapter of their life
The facility has an existing relationship with or a willingness to partner with a hospice provider
The patient needs daily personal care support beyond what the family can provide

Hospice in a Skilled Nursing Facility

How It Works

Skilled nursing facilities, sometimes called nursing homes, provide a higher level of medical and personal care than assisted living communities. They have licensed nurses on staff around the clock and are equipped to manage more complex medical needs.

When a skilled nursing facility resident elects hospice, the hospice provider again layers a separate, specialized layer of comfort-focused care on top of what the facility already provides. The hospice team’s role is to shift the focus of care entirely toward comfort, symptom management, and quality of life, moving away from curative interventions and toward peace.

Hospice nurses from Aspen Grove Hospice visit regularly, coordinate with the facility’s clinical staff on the patient’s care plan, and ensure that comfort medications, spiritual care, and social support are consistently available. Volunteer support and chaplain visits are available here as well, often providing a meaningful presence when family cannot be there.

What Families Should Know

One important distinction in nursing facility hospice: Medicare cannot pay for both Skilled nursing facilities’ skilled care and hospice care at the same time if both are being used for the same terminal condition. Once a patient elects hospice, the focus of their care shifts from skilled nursing rehabilitation to comfort-only hospice care.

This does not mean the patient loses access to the facility’s staff or support. It means the goals of that support change. Your hospice social worker can walk you through exactly what this means for your loved one’s specific situation and help you understand what Medicare covers under each scenario.

Nursing Facility Hospice Is a Good Fit When:

The patient has complex medical or physical needs that require around-the-clock licensed nursing staff
The family does not have the capacity to provide care at home
The patient is already a long-term resident and is settled in that community
Symptom management requires a higher level of on-site medical oversight

How to Choose the Right Setting

In most cases, the right setting is the one your loved one is already in or the one where they feel most at peace.

The hospice team does not require a patient to be in a specific place to receive excellent care. What matters is that comfort, dignity, and coordinated support are present regardless of the address.

If you are weighing options, ask yourself:

Where does my loved one feel most safe and comfortable?
What level of daily personal care is needed between hospice visits?
What is realistic for our family to manage?
Is a move at this point in their life something they want or that would cause additional distress?

The Aspen Grove Hospice social work team can help your family think through these questions honestly and practically, without pressure toward any particular setting.

If your loved one has recently been hospitalized or is transitioning out of a skilled nursing facility, this is often an ideal time to explore hospice. Our blog How Early Hospice Enrollment Can Help Patients and Families explains why timing matters and what earlier support can mean for quality of life.

We’re Here When You’re Ready

Wherever your loved one is today, Aspen Grove Hospice can meet them there. Our team serves families across Denver, Aurora, Arapahoe, Adams, Douglas, Jefferson, and surrounding Front Range communities in homes, assisted living communities, and skilled nursing facilities throughout the region.

Call us at (720) 999-9854 or speak with our hospice team to ask questions, confirm coverage, or take the next step toward comfort care. There is no pressure and no obligation. Only a team that genuinely wants to help.

What Hospice Looks Like in the First 48 Hours

May 4, 2026 by Aspen Hospice Care

Saying yes to hospice is one of the hardest decisions a family will ever make. Once it’s made, a new question almost immediately takes its place: Now what?

The first 48 hours of hospice care can feel uncertain, even when you know you’ve made the right choice. You may be wondering who will show up at the door, what they’ll do, and what comfort will actually look like for your loved one.

This guide answers all of that. Here is a clear, honest picture of what to expect in the first two days after hospice care begins.

What Happens on Day One

The Admission Visit

The first visit is the most structured one you will experience. Within hours of enrollment, a registered nurse from the hospice team will come to your home. This visit typically lasts one to two hours and covers several important areas.

During admission, the nurse will:

Review your loved one’s medical history and current diagnoses with you
Assess their physical condition – including pain levels, breathing, skin, mobility, and mental comfort
Establish a care plan tailored to their specific needs and goals
Explain what to expect going forward, including how to reach the on-call team at night or on weekends
Answer your questions about medications, daily care routines, and what the coming days may look like

You don’t need to have everything figured out. The nurse is there to guide you, not just assess your loved one.

Equipment and Supplies Are Delivered

One of the most immediate sources of relief families notice is that equipment arrives quickly, often on the same day as the admission visit. Through Aspen Grove Hospice’s durable medical equipment (DME) partnerships, the supplies and devices your loved one needs are coordinated and delivered directly to your home.

Depending on the care plan, this may include:

A hospital bed or specialty mattress
A bedside commode or shower chair
A wheelchair or walker
Oxygen equipment
Medications for pain, anxiety, or symptom relief

All of this is covered under the Medicare Hospice Benefit when related to the terminal diagnosis. You will not be handed a list and sent to figure it out on your own.

Medications Are Reviewed and Adjusted

The hospice nurse and medical director work together to review your loved one’s current medications. Some may be continued, others may be adjusted or discontinued if they no longer support comfort. New medications to manage pain, breathlessness, agitation, or nausea may be ordered.

The goal is not to add complexity. It is to simplify and focus entirely on comfort.

Medications are often delivered to your home as well, so you do not have to make trips to a pharmacy during this sensitive time.

What Happens on Day Two

More of the Care Team Begins to Arrive

Hospice care is delivered by an interdisciplinary team, and by the second day, you will begin meeting more of its members. Not every discipline visits on day two, but introductions typically begin rolling in based on your loved one’s needs and the care plan.

CNAs and hospice aides may visit to help with bathing, grooming, oral care, and personal hygiene. This hands-on support takes a significant physical burden off family caregivers and keeps your loved one clean and comfortable.
A social worker will often reach out within the first day or two to connect with the family. They help with practical matters like paperwork and advance directives, but also offer emotional support, community resources, and guidance for navigating what can be a very disorienting time.
A spiritual care coordinator or chaplain may visit, at your request or as part of the care plan, to offer comfort that goes beyond physical symptoms. This is available to patients and families of all beliefs, or no belief system at all.

You do not have to accept every service offered, and you can always add or change support as needs shift.

The Care Plan Is Already Working

By the end of day two, the care plan put in place during admission begins to show up in real, visible ways. Your loved one should have the right medications available. Equipment should be set up. The team should have a scheduled rhythm for visits, and you should have a direct number to call anytime, day or night.

This is what routine home care, the most common level of hospice care, looks like when it is functioning well. It is not a single nurse managing everything alone. It is a coordinated team working around a shared goal: your loved one’s comfort and dignity.

Learn more about the 4 levels of care.

Common Questions Families Ask in the First 48 Hours

Can hospice care start on the same day enrollment is confirmed? In most cases, yes. Aspen Grove Hospice works to initiate services quickly after the enrollment process is complete, including same-day or next-day admission visits and equipment delivery when possible.
What if my loved one’s condition changes in the first 48 hours? Call your hospice nurse directly. You have 24/7 access to an on-call clinical team. If symptoms escalate, the care plan can be adjusted immediately. In more acute situations, hospice can also authorize a higher level of care, such as continuous home care or general inpatient care.
Does the whole team visit every day? No. Visit frequency is based on need and the care plan. Your nurse will typically visit several times per week. Aides may come daily or a few times per week. Social workers and chaplains usually visit less frequently unless you need more support.
Will my loved one be in pain during the transition to hospice? The hospice team’s priority is pain and symptom management. Medications are reviewed and adjusted during the admission visit, and comfort measures are put into place quickly. If pain is a concern, communicate it clearly with the nurse during admission.
What if I’m not sure my loved one qualifies? A hospice admissions nurse can walk you through the eligibility guidelines at no obligation. Medicare defines eligibility broadly, and a physician certification is what ultimately determines enrollment. If you are unsure, the best step is simply to ask.
Many families also have misconceptions about what hospice means for their loved one’s care. Our post Common Hospice Myths and What the Facts Actually Say addresses the concerns families most often raise before saying yes.

After the First 48 Hours

The first two days set the foundation. After that, the care team finds its rhythm. Visits become familiar. Medications get fine-tuned. Families start to feel less alone in this.

Hospice is not a single event. It is an ongoing relationship with a team that stays with you and your loved one for the entire journey, and with your family for a full year of bereavement support after loss.

Your Next Step Is Just a Conversation

If your family is considering hospice care in Denver, Aurora, or the surrounding Front Range communities, Aspen Grove Hospice is here to answer your questions before you ever make a decision.

Call us at (720) 999-9854 or speak with our hospice team to schedule a conversation. There is no pressure and no obligation, only clarity, and someone who genuinely wants to help.

Common Hospice Myths and What the Facts Actually Say

April 13, 2026 by Aspen Hospice Care

Hospice care is one of the most misunderstood services in healthcare. The myths surrounding it are not just inaccurate, they quietly prevent families from getting support that could make an enormous difference. If you have been hesitant to explore hospice for your loved one, there is a good chance something you have heard or believed about it is not the whole picture.

This guide walks through the most common hospice myths and replaces each one with clear, factual information so you can make the most informed decision for your family.

What Is Hospice Care

Hospice is a Medicare-certified, physician-directed model of care designed for patients with a life-limiting illness and a prognosis of six months or less if the disease runs its natural course. The focus shifts from curative treatment to comfort, quality of life, and whole-person support — for both the patient and the family.

Hospice is not a place. It is not giving up. And it is not only for the final days of life.

Hospice Means Giving Up. This is the most common barrier families face, and it is worth addressing directly. Choosing hospice is not surrendering to an illness. It is a deliberate, informed decision to redirect the goals of care toward comfort, dignity, and quality of life. Many families describe the decision to start hospice as one of the most loving things they did for their loved one. Studies consistently show that patients enrolled in hospice earlier often live as long and in many cases longer than those who continue aggressive treatments. What changes is not the length of life, but the quality of it. If you want to understand the research on timing, our blog on how early hospice enrollment can help patients and families goes deeper into what the data and families’ actual experiences show.
Hospice Is Only for the Last Few Days of Life. Many families do not reach out until a loved one has days or hours left and one of their most common regrets is that they did not call sooner. Hospice eligibility begins when a physician certifies that a patient has a life-limiting illness with a prognosis of six months or less. That window is far longer than most people realize, and those months matter. Earlier enrollment means more time for your loved one to have pain and symptoms managed, more time for your family to receive guidance, and more time for meaningful connection. Explore: Eligibility Guidelines
You Have to Choose Between Hospice and Your Doctor. Hospice does not replace your loved one’s existing physicians. It works alongside them. Every patient enrolled in hospice receives oversight from a hospice Medical Director who coordinates care, but the patient’s own physician remains involved in the care plan. Hospice brings an additional layer of support, not a replacement for the relationships already in place.
Hospice Is Only for Cancer Patients. Hospice is appropriate for any life-limiting diagnosis, not just cancer. Common diagnoses that qualify include:
- Congestive heart failure (CHF)
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease
- End-stage renal disease
- Stroke and neurological conditions
- Liver disease
- ALS and other neurological disorders
  
  If you are unsure whether your loved one’s diagnosis qualifies, our guide on who qualifies for hospice in Colorado covers eligibility, prognosis requirements, and the most common qualifying diagnoses in detail.
Hospice Means Dying Alone or in a Facility. Most hospice care is delivered wherever the patient calls home – whether that is a private residence, an assisted living community, a memory care facility, or a nursing home. The goal is always to bring care to the patient, not the other way around. At Aspen Grove Hospice, our team of registered nurses and CNAs and aides makes regular visits, and our care team is available around the clock. Patients are not left alone, and neither are their families.
Starting Hospice Is Permanent, You Can Never Leave. This is one of the most important myths to correct, because the fear of being “locked in” stops many families from even having the conversation. Hospice is entirely voluntary. A patient or family can choose to discontinue hospice at any time, this is called revocation, and return to curative treatment if that is the right decision. There is no penalty and no waiting period to re-enroll if circumstances change. Learn more: Understanding Your Hospice Flexibility Options
Hospice Only Addresses Physical Pain. Hospice care is built around the whole person, not just the body. The hospice model is interdisciplinary by design. In addition to medical care and pain management, the hospice team includes:
- Social workers who help navigate family dynamics, financial concerns, and care decisions
- Spiritual care providers who offer support aligned with each patient’s beliefs and values
- Emotional support for both the patient and the people who love them
- Volunteer support for companionship, errands, and caregiver relief
  
  Hospice meets patients and families where they are, in every sense of the phrase.
Hospice Care Is Expensive. For most patients, hospice is covered entirely by Medicare under the Medicare Hospice Benefit. Medicaid and most private insurance plans also cover hospice. What is included under the benefit is broad: physician services, nursing visits, medications related to the terminal diagnosis, medical equipment, aide services, and counseling, all at no cost to the patient or family. There are no hidden fees for covered services. This is one of the most underutilized benefits in Medicare, and one of the most valuable.
Family Has to Handle Everything Alone. The hospice model is specifically designed to support caregivers, not just patients. Through respite care, one of the four Medicare-covered levels of hospice care, caregivers can receive temporary relief while their loved one is cared for in a facility for up to five consecutive days. Beyond respite, the entire hospice team functions as a support system for the family unit.
Grief Support Ends When Your Loved One Passes. Hospice bereavement care does not stop at the time of death. Under Medicare, hospice providers are required to offer bereavement support to families for at least 13 months following a loss. At Aspen Grove Hospice, our bereavement care for families includes ongoing counseling, check-ins, and connection to community resources. Because grief is not a single moment it is a process, and no family should navigate it alone.

The Conversation Worth Having

If a myth has been standing between your family and a conversation about hospice, we hope this helps clear the path. Call Aspen Grove Hospice at (720) 999-9854 or schedule a free in-home consultation to speak with our care team today.

The decision to explore hospice is not the end of hope, it is a shift toward the kind of care that honors your loved one’s comfort, dignity, and wishes.

Our team is here to answer your questions without pressure, without jargon, and without rushing you. If you are ready to learn more about what hospice care in the Denver Metro area could look like for your family, visit our starting hospice care page or contact us directly.

The Medicare Hospice Benefit: Understanding Eligibility and Coverage

April 6, 2026 by Aspen Hospice Care

The Medicare Hospice Benefit is one of the most comprehensive coverage options available to eligible patients and families, yet many people never fully use it because they are not sure how it works.

This guide breaks down what the Medicare Hospice Benefit covers, who qualifies, and what you can realistically expect when your loved one receives hospice care under Medicare in Colorado.

What Is the Medicare Hospice Benefit?

The Medicare Hospice Benefit is a federal program under Medicare Part A that covers the full scope of hospice services for patients who meet specific eligibility requirements. According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), this benefit was designed to support patients with a terminal diagnosis and their families by covering medically necessary comfort-focused care at little to no out-of-pocket cost.

It is not just a coverage plan. It is access to an entire care team, coordinated around your loved one’s comfort, dignity, and quality of life.

Who Qualifies for the Medicare Hospice Benefit?

To be eligible for the Medicare Hospice Benefit, a patient must meet the following criteria as defined by CMS:

Enrolled in Medicare Part A
Certified by two physicians (typically the patient’s attending physician and the hospice medical director) that the patient has a terminal illness with a prognosis of six months or less if the disease runs its natural course
Elects the hospice benefit, which means shifting the focus of care from curative treatment to comfort-focused care for the terminal diagnosis

Electing hospice does not mean giving up. It means choosing a model of care designed to provide the highest possible quality of life in the time that remains.

Learn more: Who Qualifies for Hospice in Colorado: Eligibility, Prognosis, and Common Diagnoses.

You can also visit our Hospice Eligibility Guidelines page to learn more about how eligibility is assessed here in the Denver Metro area.

How Are Medicare Hospice Benefit Periods Structured?

Once a patient elects the Medicare Hospice Benefit, care is organized into benefit periods:

Two initial 90-day periods
Followed by unlimited 60-day periods as long as the patient continues to meet eligibility criteria

At the start of each benefit period, a hospice physician must re-certify that the patient still meets eligibility requirements. If a patient improves and no longer qualifies, they can be discharged from hospice and return to standard Medicare coverage. If they later decline again, they can re-elect the benefit.

What Does the Medicare Hospice Benefit Cover?

This is where the Medicare Hospice Benefit truly stands apart. Under this benefit, Medicare covers a wide range of services, all focused on comfort, symptom management, and family support.

Medical Care and Nursing. Medicare covers visits from a Registered Nurse as part of your loved one’s ongoing care. Nursing visits are scheduled based on the patient’s needs and can be increased during periods of symptom changes or health decline. A Medical Director oversees the plan of care and collaborates with the patient’s physicians throughout the process.
Medications. Medicare covers medications that are related to the terminal diagnosis and aimed at managing symptoms such as pain, nausea, anxiety, or shortness of breath. Medications unrelated to the hospice diagnosis may still be covered through Medicare Part D.
Medical Equipment and Supplies. The benefit includesDurable Medical Equipment (DME) such as hospital beds, wheelchairs, oxygen equipment, and other supplies needed for comfort and safety in the home.
Aide and Personal Care Services. Certified nursing aides help with personal care tasks such as bathing, grooming, and mobility support.
Social Work Services. A licensed Social Worker provides guidance on care decisions, community resources, advance directives, and the emotional weight that families carry during this time.
Spiritual Care. Non-denominational Spiritual Care is available to patients and families regardless of religious background. This support addresses existential questions, meaning-making, and peace.
Bereavement Support. The Medicare Hospice Benefit includesBereavement Care for the family for up to 13 months following the patient’s death. Grief support is part of the benefit from the very beginning.
Volunteer Support. Volunteer Support services provide companionship, respite, and practical help to families, at no additional cost.

The Four Levels of Medicare Hospice Care

Under the Medicare Hospice Benefit, there are four recognized levels of care. The level provided is based on the patient’s medical needs at any given time.

Routine Home Care – The most common level. Ongoing hospice services provided where the patient lives, whether at home, in a nursing facility, or in an assisted living community.
Continuous Home Care – Short-term, intensive nursing and aide services provided during a medical crisis to keep the patient comfortable at home.
General Inpatient Care – For symptom management that cannot be managed in the home setting and requires a higher level of clinical intervention.
Inpatient Respite Care – Short-term facility-based care (up to five days) to provide family caregivers with a temporary break.

Learn more: Four Levels of Care page.

What Does Hospice Cost Under Medicare?

For most patients, the Medicare Hospice Benefit comes with minimal or no out-of-pocket cost. Here is how cost-sharing works under CMS guidelines:

Routine Home Care, Continuous Home Care, and General Inpatient Care: No copay for the patient
Prescription medications: A small copay, generally no more than $5 per prescription for covered drugs
Inpatient Respite Care: The patient may pay a small daily copay, which CMS adjusts annually

There are no deductibles or premium charges specific to the hospice benefit when enrolled in traditional Medicare Part A.

What Happens After Your Loved One Passes

Many families do not realize that Medicare-covered hospice support continues after their loved one’s death. Bereavement care for families is a required component of the Medicare Hospice Benefit and is provided at no cost for up to 13 months. This may include grief counseling, check-in calls, and support groups.

Grief is not a moment. It is a process that looks different for every person and every family. Read more about what that journey can look like in our post: Understanding the Different Types of Grief After Hospice Loss in Colorado.

Ready to Talk About Starting Care?

If your loved one may be eligible for the Medicare Hospice Benefit and you want to understand your options, the best first step is a conversation. Contact us to learn what the process looks like, or call us directly at (720) 999-9854. Our team can help you understand eligibility, walk you through the enrollment process, and answer every question you have without pressure. You can reach us for all your hospice needs in Arapahoe County, CO.

You can also schedule a free in-home consultation with our team. We serve families across Aurora, Denver Metro, and surrounding Colorado communities, and we are here whenever you are ready to talk.