{"id":8138,"date":"2024-02-25T08:54:35","date_gmt":"2024-02-25T08:54:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/?p=8138"},"modified":"2024-09-21T08:29:24","modified_gmt":"2024-09-21T08:29:24","slug":"what-could-disqualify-a-fremont-patient-from-hospice-care","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/what-could-disqualify-a-fremont-patient-from-hospice-care\/","title":{"rendered":"What Could Disqualify a Fremont Patient from Hospice Care?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So, a terminally ill friend or family member living in Fremont, California, was in<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/hospice\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">hospice care<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, but you\u2019ve just heard that they\u2019ve been discharged. Apparently, it\u2019s because they no longer qualify \u2013 but how could this happen? And is there a way they can return to hospice, or is that door forever closed?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To understand the situation, you need to know the eligibility criteria for Medicare-funded hospice care. Below, the experienced professionals at Suncrest of Fremont discuss the requirements<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-9111 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/hospice-care-Fremont-California.webp\" alt=\"hospice care Fremont, California\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" srcset=\"https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/hospice-care-Fremont-California.webp 1000w, https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/hospice-care-Fremont-California-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/hospice-care-Fremont-California-79x53.webp 79w, https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/hospice-care-Fremont-California-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/hospice-care-Fremont-California-900x600.webp 900w, https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/hospice-care-Fremont-California-675x450.webp 675w, https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/hospice-care-Fremont-California-24x16.webp 24w, https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/hospice-care-Fremont-California-36x24.webp 36w, https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/hospice-care-Fremont-California-48x32.webp 48w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/>Who Qualifies for Hospice Care?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To be eligible for Medicare-funded hospice care \u2013 or to have the costs of hospice covered by Medi-Cal, military benefits or a private health insurance plan \u2013 patients must meet certain criteria. The requirements are:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A diagnosis of a terminal or life-limiting illness, such as cancer, liver disease, dementia or heart failure<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A life expectancy of six months or less, assuming the illness follows the usual path of progression<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A willingness to forgo curative or life-sustaining treatments, like surgery, radiation or chemotherapy<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once a Fremont physician has certified that a patient has a terminal illness and is expected to live for no more than six months, a hospice medical director is called upon to confirm that assessment. From there on, the patient is considered eligible for hospice care and services can begin.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Does the Medicare Hospice Benefit Have a Time Limit?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Medicare hospice benefit was designed to make care services available for six months. That\u2019s the guideline the Medi-Cal program, the Veterans Administration and most private insurance providers follow as well. With that being said, hospice care isn\u2019t limited to six months.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hospice benefits are initially provided for two 90-day benefit periods. After that, anyone who continues to meet the eligibility criteria can continue to receive services for an unlimited number of 60-day benefit periods.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So, there\u2019s no limit to the amount of time someone can be on hospice \u2013 but there\u2019s also no guarantee that every patient who qualifies can remain in hospice care for at least six months. Some people in Fremont are discharged early, with the decision to end services made by either the hospice agency or by the patient and their family.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Why Might Someone Be Discharged from Hospice?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A live discharge is the official term used to refer to a hospice patient who is disenrolled while alive. In Fremont, live discharges occur for a number of reasons, including:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The patient\u2019s health improves or stabilizes to the extent that they no longer have a prognosis of six months or less<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The patient chooses to revoke care services in favor of aggressive treatments intended to cure their illness<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The patient moves out of the agency\u2019s service area or decides to transfer to a different local care provider<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The patient or someone they live with is abusive, disruptive or uncooperative, affecting the delivery of care services<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Live discharges are often due to decertification, meaning that the patient is no longer considered terminally ill. But in actuality, most people who are decertified still have the same terminal diagnosis that initially qualified them for hospice care in the first place. They\u2019re still nearing the end of life, too, just not within the expected six-month time frame.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In any case, whether patient- or hospice-initiated, research puts live discharge rates somewhere between 5 and 23 percent. Roughly one out of every seven people who enter hospice are disenrolled, but that figure accounts for patients who become disqualified for hospice care as well as individuals who relocate, those who choose to transfer to a different provider and people who want to once again pursue curative care.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Can People Who Leave Hospice Return at a Later Date?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Live discharges are frequently presented in a positive light, with patients described as \u201cgraduating\u201d from the hospice program. The reality is quite different, as the majority of these individuals are still terminally ill and not long for this world. For many, the care transition can be quite challenging.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When a Fremont patient is disenrolled from hospice by choice or as a result of decertification, home visits from members of the care team are discontinued. The provided medical equipment is moved out of their home, too, and the costs of hospice services are no longer covered by Medicare, Medi-Cal, military benefits or private insurance.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fortunately, this situation isn\u2019t necessarily permanent. If someone chooses to leave hospice to resume the search for a cure or if they become disqualified for care, the door remains open. Returning later on is always an option, provided the individual meets the eligibility criteria. And, patients can opt to work with their original hospice agency or a different care provider.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Do You Have Questions About Hospice Care?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Regardless of why your terminally ill friend or family member was discharged from hospice care, they\u2019ll still need your support. Learning more is a good way to look after your loved one\u2019s interests, and the professional team at Suncrest of Fremont is always available to answer any questions you may have. To discuss<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/location\/bay-area\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">hospice care<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> with a friendly and knowledgeable professional, contact us today.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>So, a terminally ill friend or family member living in Fremont, California, was in hospice care, but you\u2019ve just heard that they\u2019ve been discharged. Apparently, it\u2019s because they no longer&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":410,"featured_media":9111,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-8138","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\/8138","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=8138"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8138\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9112,"href":"https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8138\/revisions\/9112"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9111"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8138"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8138"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/matrixbricks.us\/suncrest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8138"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}