Medicare or Medicaid and most private insurances (though you may have a copay with private insurance – please check with your insurance company), cover what is deemed important to end of life comfort at home. This includes things such as DME (durable medical equipment) like a hospital bed, oxygen, wheelchair if needed, etc., medications to help keep you comfortable, and visits at home from members of the hospice team. Those may include: a registered nurse (RN), a licensed practical nurse (LPN), a medical social worker (MSW), a chaplain, a home health aide (HHA), a bereavement counselor, volunteers, and physical/occupational/speech therapist if deemed necessary for increased comfort.
Your nurse will visit you at home, the amount of times per week will be determined by a number of factors such as: your preference, your need (as in how stable you are), wound care, and amount of education needed for you and your caregivers to manage your symptoms.
The goal is to keep you comfortable at home, without having to spend your precious time at doctor appointments or in the hospital. We hope for you to use all of your time with the people who love, or enjoying your hobbies, or just resting where you are most secure.
If new symptoms arise, or you have a question in the middle of the night, hospice is there to support you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.