
{"id":7291,"date":"2023-12-05T06:05:28","date_gmt":"2023-12-05T06:05:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/?p=7291"},"modified":"2024-09-21T10:40:58","modified_gmt":"2024-09-21T10:40:58","slug":"who-meets-the-requirements-for-hospice-care-in-chicago","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/who-meets-the-requirements-for-hospice-care-in-chicago\/","title":{"rendered":"Who Meets the Requirements for Hospice Care in Chicago?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As awareness of<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/hospice\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">hospice care<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> has grown, so has the number of people in Chicago and elsewhere in the country who are using hospice services. According to the latest Facts and Figures report from the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO), 1.72 million Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in hospice in 2020 \u2013 an increase of 6.8 percent over the previous year.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Without question, this is trending in the right direction. Hospice care brings comfort, dignity and peace as the end draws near, profoundly impacting the lives of patients and their families. We hope more people come to understand that hospice isn\u2019t about giving up hope or hastening death. In actuality, choosing hospice is choosing to make every moment count.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But what qualifies someone for hospice care?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many people think hospice is only for those in the final hours or days of life, or that services are reserved for cancer patients. Neither is true, yet misconceptions like these persist among residents of Chicago, Illinois. As knowing when to consider hospice care can be of such great benefit, we decided to set the record straight.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-9102 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/hospice-care-Chicago-Illinois.webp\" alt=\"hospice care Chicago, Illinois\" width=\"1000\" height=\"563\" srcset=\"https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/hospice-care-Chicago-Illinois.webp 1000w, https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/hospice-care-Chicago-Illinois-300x169.webp 300w, https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/hospice-care-Chicago-Illinois-94x53.webp 94w, https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/hospice-care-Chicago-Illinois-768x432.webp 768w, https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/hospice-care-Chicago-Illinois-24x14.webp 24w, https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/hospice-care-Chicago-Illinois-36x20.webp 36w, https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/hospice-care-Chicago-Illinois-48x27.webp 48w, https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/hospice-care-Chicago-Illinois-900x507.webp 900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/>Hospice Care Eligibility Guidelines<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most Chicago patients pay nothing out-of-pocket for hospice care. For those who qualify, the full cost of services is typically covered through Medicare, the Illinois Medicaid program or private insurance.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In order to be eligible for hospice coverage, an individual must meet certain criteria. The minimum requirements include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A diagnosis of an incurable condition<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An estimated prognosis of six months or less<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A willingness to forgo further curative efforts<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Additionally, Medicare only covers hospice care when a Medicare-certified agency provides the necessary services. That\u2019s also the case with Medicaid and most private insurers. However, patients have plenty of options \u2013 as reported by the NHPCO, the number of Medicare-certified hospice programs nationwide in 2020 totaled 5,058. And in the Chicago area, dozens of agencies are approved care providers.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Primary Diagnoses for Hospice Patients<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A physician\u2019s confirmation of a limited lifespan is a requirement for hospice coverage, but individuals with any serious, life-threatening condition are eligible. Services aren\u2019t limited to those with a specific illness or disease.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That being said, certain diagnoses are more prevalent among Medicare beneficiaries. As per the NHPCO report, the following conditions accounted for largest percentages of hospice patients in 2020:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Alzheimer\u2019s, dementia and Parkinson\u2019s, at 18.5 percent<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Circulatory and heart diseases at 9.3 percent<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cancer, at 7.5 percent<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Respiratory conditions, at 6 percent<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Stroke or cerebrovascular accident (CVA), at 5 percent<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kidney disease, at 1.5 percent<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Severe malnutrition, at 1.3 percent<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">COVID-19, at 0.9 percent<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Medicare-certified hospice agencies also serve patients facing other life-threatening diseases and conditions. As an example, here at Suncrest of Chicago, we provide care to individuals with:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">HIV\/AIDS<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Huntington\u2019s disease<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Liver disease<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lou Gehrig\u2019s disease (ALS)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Multiple sclerosis<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Recurrent sepsis<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Refractory autoimmune disease<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This list is by no means exhaustive. Like other Medicare-approved hospice care providers, Suncrest of Chicago is ready to meet the needs of patients with any incurable condition.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>When to Consider Hospice for a Loved One<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As we mentioned above, one of the requirements for hospice coverage is an estimated prognosis of six months or less. This assumes that the patient\u2019s illness follows the expected course \u2013 but diseases affect people in different ways, and even the best doctors in Chicago find it difficult to predict how long someone has to live.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With that in mind, families of incurably ill individuals should watch for warning signs that the end of life may be near. Any of the following may suggest that it\u2019s time to consider hospice care:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Frequent emergency room visits<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Multiple hospitalizations<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Progressive weight loss<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Trouble handling routine tasks<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Confusion or disorientation<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Uncontrollable pain<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Recurring infections<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Unrelenting nausea<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Increasing fatigue<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Difficulty breathing<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For individuals diagnosed with dementia, figuring out when hospice care might be appropriate can be tricky, as these disorders often progress rather slowly. However, certain signs are indicative of the end drawing near. Scheduling a hospice consultation is a good idea when a dementia patient:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Speaks only a few words<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Has problems swallowing food<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Is unable to walk without assistance<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Can\u2019t sit upright without support<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Develops incontinence<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Grows increasingly restless<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Acts angry, agitated or aggressive<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Hospice Coverage Isn\u2019t Limited to Six Months<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To be eligible for hospice care, an individual must have a life expectancy of six months or less \u2013 but that doesn\u2019t mean services aren\u2019t covered past that point. If someone who enters hospice lives longer, here\u2019s what happens:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A physician conducts an assessment of the patient, and providing their prognosis hasn\u2019t changed, hospice services can continue.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Or:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After assessing the patient, a physician finds that their condition can no longer be considered terminal and, as such, the individual is discharged.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the latter situation, the decision to discontinue hospice care isn\u2019t necessarily final. A patient can always resume services later on if their health begins to decline, provided that their life expectancy is estimated to be no more than six months.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Do you believe that a loved one may meet the requirements for<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/location\/northbrook\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">hospice care<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">? In Chicago, Suncrest is a trusted source for end-of-life support. To arrange for a free consultation, contact us today.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As awareness of hospice care has grown, so has the number of people in Chicago and elsewhere in the country who are using hospice services. According to the latest Facts&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":410,"featured_media":9102,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-7291","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-blog"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7291","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/410"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7291"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7291\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9156,"href":"https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7291\/revisions\/9156"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9102"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7291"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7291"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7291"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}