Does Medicare Cover Hospice?

Key Takeaways

Medicare Part A covers hospice care when you have a terminal illness with 6 months or less to live, certified by doctors.

Hospice services include nursing care, medical equipment, pain medications and grief counseling with minimal out-of-pocket costs.

You qualify by having Medicare Part A, getting physician certification and choosing comfort care over curative treatment.

Which Parts of Medicare Cover Hospice Care?

Medicare Part A covers hospice care if you have a terminal illness with 6 months or less to live. Your doctor and a hospice physician will certify your eligibility, and you'll choose a Medicare-certified hospice provider. Part A covers nursing care, medical equipment, pain medications, home health aides, social services and grief counseling for comfort care at home or in a facility.

You'll pay up to $5 per prescription for pain relief and 5% of costs for inpatient respite care (capped at the 2026 hospital deductible of $1,736). The benefit includes two 90-day periods followed by unlimited 60-day periods.

How Do You Qualify for Hospice Under Medicare?

Qualifying for Medicare hospice requires Part A coverage, doctor certification and choosing comfort care over curative treatment. Hospice qualification starts with a conversation with your doctor about your prognosis and care goals. You'll decide whether hospice care is right for you, then work with your medical team to arrange hospice services.

Medicare still covers unrelated health conditions after you enroll in hospice, but standard deductibles and coinsurance apply to those services. Here are the qualification requirements:

Have Medicare Part A - Hospital insurance coverage is required

Get physician certification - Your doctor and a hospice doctor must certify your terminal illness with a life expectancy of 6 months or less

Choose palliative care and sign statement - Accept comfort care instead of curative treatment and sign a statement choosing hospice care

Select Medicare-approved provider - Choose a Medicare-certified hospice provider to receive covered services

Which Medical Conditions Qualify Under Hospice

Medicare hospice coverage focuses on your prognosis rather than your specific diagnosis. While cancer is common in hospice care, many other serious illnesses qualify when they reach advanced stages. What matters most is whether your condition is terminal and can't be cured. Your hospice team looks at your overall health, how your disease is progressing and how you're responding to treatment when determining if you qualify for hospice care.

Common terminal illnesses that may qualify for hospice:

Cancer (all types in advanced stages)
Heart disease including congestive heart failure and heart valve disorders
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
Stroke with severe complications
Liver disease in end stages
Kidney disease and end-stage renal disease
Neurological conditions including Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, multiple sclerosis and dementia
HIV/AIDS in advanced stages
Diabetes with severe complications

Important: This isn't an exhaustive list. Any terminal condition may qualify for hospice care. Talk with your doctor about hospice eligibility for your specific situation.

What Is Covered Under Medicare’s Hospice Benefit?

Medicare's hospice benefit covers services focused on comfort and quality of life. Your hospice team creates a personalized care plan that addresses your physical, emotional and spiritual needs. The hospice benefit covers medical care, equipment, medications for symptom management and support services at home or in a facility.

You'll pay nothing for most services, though prescriptions for pain relief cost up to $5 each and respite care runs 5% of the Medicare-approved amount. Medicare may also cover other reasonable and necessary services your care plan requires.

COVERED SERVICES UNDER MEDICARE HOSPICE:

Doctor and nursing care - Your hospice doctor, nurse practitioner or personal physician oversees your medical treatment. Skilled nurses handle wound care, medications, injections and daily health monitoring
Therapy services - Physical, occupational and speech therapists help you maintain independence with daily tasks like eating, dressing and getting around
Personal care and household help - Hospice aides assist with bathing, toileting and dressing. Homemakers handle light cleaning, laundry and changing bed linens
Medical supplies and equipment - Everything from wound dressings and catheters to wheelchairs and walkers needed for your comfort and care
Pain and symptom medications - Prescriptions to manage pain and control symptoms (up to $5 per prescription)
Social work support - Counseling and help finding community resources for emotional and practical concerns
Dietary and spiritual guidance - Nutritional counseling and religious or spiritual support tailored to your beliefs
Grief counseling - Emotional support for you and your loved ones during this time and bereavement services for your family after you pass
Short-term hospital stays - When pain or symptoms become difficult to manage at home, you can receive more intensive medical treatment at a hospital or hospice facility
Caregiver respite - Your family members can take a much-needed break while you receive temporary inpatient services at a facility

What Is Not Covered by Medicare Hospice?

Medicare hospice doesn't cover treatments that would cure your terminal illness once you enroll. When you choose hospice care, you're accepting comfort care instead of curative treatments for your terminal condition. The hospice benefit also doesn't cover room and board in most situations, care from providers outside your hospice team or emergency services your hospice team didn't arrange.

You can still receive Medicare coverage for health conditions unrelated to your terminal illness, but you'll pay standard deductibles and coinsurance for those services.

What Medicare hospice doesn't cover:


Curative treatments	Treatments that would cure your terminal illness rather than provide comfort
Curative medications	Drugs that would cure your condition instead of managing pain and symptoms
Room and board	Housing costs at home, nursing homes or hospice facilities. Medicare only covers facility stays when your hospice team arranges short-term inpatient or respite care
Outside providers	Care from any provider your hospice team hasn't arranged. You can keep seeing your regular doctor or nurse practitioner if you've chosen them to help supervise your hospice care
Unarranged emergency services	Emergency room visits, hospital stays or ambulance rides unless your hospice team arranges these services or they're for conditions unrelated to your terminal illness
Other hospice providers	Services from a different hospice unless you formally switch providers

How Can You Elect Hospice Under Medicare?

Electing hospice involves working with your doctor to find the right provider and setting up your care plan. Your doctor connects you with Medicare-certified hospice agencies in your area. Once you find a hospice provider, you'll sign paperwork choosing hospice care and work with your hospice team to design services that support you and your family. Hospice election moves quickly when you're ready to begin hospice care.

1
Confirm Medicare Part A enrollment
Hospice benefits require Part A coverage
2
Talk with your doctor about eligibility
Discuss whether you meet the criteria for Medicare-covered hospice care
3
Ask your doctor to contact hospice agencies
Your doctor reaches out to Medicare-certified hospice providers on your behalf
4
Contact multiple providers if needed
If the first hospice agency can't help you, reach out to other Medicare-certified providers in your area
5
Get certified for hospice care
The hospice medical director, and your regular doctor if you have one, certifies you're eligible
6
Sign your election statement
Complete an election form choosing hospice care, which means Medicare pays for pain management rather than curative care
7
Design your care plan
Your hospice team works with you and your primary care provider (if you wish) to create this plan. The team may include a hospice doctor, registered nurse, social worker and counselor

Bottom Line

Medicare Part A covers hospice care when you have a terminal illness with 6 months or less to live, certified by your doctors. Hospice provides nursing care, medical equipment, pain medications and grief counseling with minimal costs. You'll need physician certification and must choose comfort care over curative treatment.

Does Medicare Cover Hospice Care: FAQ

We've answered frequently asked questions about Medicare hospice benefits:

What percent of hospice care does Medicare cover?

Medicare covers 100% of most hospice services. You'll pay up to $5 per prescription for pain medications and 5% of costs for inpatient respite care, capped at the 2026 hospital deductible of $1,736. All other covered services have no out-of-pocket costs.

Which two conditions must be present for a patient to enroll in hospice?

Two conditions must be present: physician certification of a terminal illness with six months or less to live, and your decision to choose comfort care instead of curative treatment. You must also have Medicare Part A and select a Medicare-approved hospice provider.

How long will Medicare pay for hospice care?

Medicare pays for hospice care as long as you need it, with no time limit. Coverage includes two 90-day periods, followed by unlimited 60-day periods. Your doctor recertifies your eligibility at the start of each period to continue receiving benefits.

Does Medicare pay for hospice in a skilled nursing facility?

Medicare doesn't cover room and board at skilled nursing facilities for hospice patients. However, Medicare covers hospice services provided to you while you reside there. You'll need to pay the facility separately for housing costs while receiving Medicare-covered hospice care.

Does Medicaid cover hospice?

Yes, Medicaid covers hospice care in all states. Medicaid hospice benefits are similar to Medicare's, covering nursing care, medical equipment and medications. If you have both Medicare and Medicaid (dual eligible), Medicare typically pays first for hospice services.

Is hospice covered by Medicare Part A or B?

Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) covers hospice care. Part B doesn't cover hospice services. You'll need Part A enrollment to access hospice benefits, including nursing care, medical equipment, medications and support services for your terminal illness.

Does Medicare cover 24-hour in-home hospice care?

Medicare covers short-term continuous home care during medical crises but doesn't cover routine 24-hour care. Your hospice team provides continuous care when you need intensive symptom management. For longer-term needs, Medicare covers temporary inpatient care at hospice facilities.

About Mark Fitzpatrick

Mark Fitzpatrick, a Licensed Property and Casualty Insurance Producer, is MoneyGeek's resident Personal Finance Expert. With over five years of experience analyzing the insurance market, he conducts original research and creates tailored content for all types of buyers. His insights have been featured in publications like CNBC, NBC News and Mashable.

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sources

Medicare.gov. "Hospice care." Accessed December 1, 2025.
CMS.gov. "2026 Medicare Parts A & B Premiums and Deductibles." Accessed December 1, 2025.