Hospice isn't one-size-fits-all. Medicare requires every hospice to offer four distinct levels of care that flex with your needs.
Levels 1 and 2: Routine and continuous home care
Routine home care is the foundation of hospice and the level most patients receive. Your hospice team, nurses, aides, social workers, and chaplains, comes to wherever you live to manage symptoms and provide support on a scheduled basis. Continuous home care kicks in during a medical crisis, such as a sudden spike in pain or breathing trouble. It provides predominantly nursing care for 8 to 24 hours a day to stabilize the situation and keep you comfortable at home, avoiding a hospital transfer. Both levels are fully covered by Medicare with no cost-sharing for services.
Levels 3 and 4: General inpatient and respite care
General inpatient care is for symptoms that can't be managed at home, like severe pain or complex medication adjustments. You receive short-term, round-the-clock care in a hospital, hospice facility, or skilled nursing facility until symptoms are controlled, then you return home. Inpatient respite care exists to support your family caregiver. When loved ones need a break, Medicare covers up to 5 consecutive days of care for you in an approved facility. Respite carries a 5% coinsurance; general inpatient care is otherwise fully covered. Your team decides the right level based on clinical need.