Reimbursement of Hospice Services

Hospice of Reno County, Inc. is a licensed and certified provider of hospice services. Hospice of Reno County, Inc. is able to bill Medicare, Medicaid, and commercial insurance carriers. For patients without insurance, a financial assessment is used to determine patient responsibility. Hospice of Reno County, Inc. will provide services regardless of ability to pay.

Medicare and Medicaid cover routine Hospice services provided by Hospice of Reno County, Inc. Most commercial insurance carriers cover routine Hospice services. The patient is responsible for any deductibles or co-pays. The following services are included in routine Hospice services:

• Nursing Services
• Medical Social Worker
• Counseling Services (for both patient and family
  • Psychosocial
  • Spiritual
  • Bereavement
• Home Health Aide
• Medical Equipment and supplies related to the terminal diagnosis
• Medications related to the terminal diagnosis

Beyond the routine level of care, there are other levels of care available under the Hospice Medicare Benefit, Medicaid, and some commercial carriers;

• Inpatient care for pain and symptom management; Provided when the patient needs acute or chronic pain and/or symptom management that cannot feasibly be provided in other settings. Skilled nursing care may be needed by a patient whose home support has broken down, if this breakdown makes it no longer feasible to furnish needed care in the home setting.
• Respite (short-term caregiver relief); Provided only when necessary to relieve the family members or other caregivers that are caring for the beneficiary at home. Respite is short term and reimbursed for no more than five days at a time.
• Continuous Care; Provided only during periods of crisis to maintain the beneficiary at home. Requires eight hours of nursing and/or aide services in a 24 hour period, beginning at midnight, and at least 50% of that time must be nursing.

Inpatient level of care can be provided at the Hospice House. In addition to the Hospice house, Hospice of Reno County, Inc. has contracts with multiple local hospitals in the event hospitalization is needed for symptom management. Inpatient level of care is covered by Medicare and Medicaid and some commercial carriers.

Respite care is provided at the Hospice House for Hospice of Reno County, Inc. patients. In addition, contracts are maintained with nursing homes and hospitals to provide respite care for Hospice of Reno County patients.