How does a hospice handle a situation where the patient is transferring to another hospice agency that is outside our service area or in another state?
If the service areas of the two hospices do not meet or overlap, there is a risk that the hospice patient could experience a gap in hospice care while transferring, and the hospice could be financially liable if the beneficiary needs medical care. Therefore, if the patient is traveling outside of the hospice’s service area, it is recommended that the hospice discharge the beneficiary so that the beneficiary has access to care under their traditional Medicare fee-for-service benefits. Once the beneficiary reaches their final destination, they can re-elect hospice care (assuming that they still meet hospice eligibility requirements).
Related Questions
- If a patient moves outside of the suppliers service area before the 36th continuous rental payment has been made, can the beneficiary obtain equipment from the new supplier?
- Does an adult day service agency have to provide transportation outside of the contract area?
- What if the patient lives outside of a PeaceHealth county/service area?
