Quick answer: Medicare Part A covers hospice care at $0 cost for the care itself, for anyone certified by a doctor as having a terminal illness with 6 months or less to live who chooses comfort care over curative treatment. Small copays apply for prescription drugs and inpatient respite care.
When you or a loved one needs hospice care, insurance shouldn’t be one more thing to worry about. Here’s exactly how Medicare hospice coverage works and what it costs.
What Is Hospice Care?
Hospice is end-of-life comfort care, not curative treatment. A Medicare-approved hospice provides medical and support services focused on pain relief, symptom management, and quality of life, coordinated by your attending physician and the hospice team — usually delivered wherever you live, whether that’s your own home, an assisted living facility, or a nursing home.
Who Qualifies
- You’re eligible for Medicare Part A
- A hospice doctor and your own doctor certify you’re terminally ill with a life expectancy of 6 months or less
- You sign a statement choosing hospice (comfort) care instead of curative treatment for your terminal illness
How Benefit Periods Work for Hospice
Hospice coverage is organized into benefit periods: two 90-day periods, followed by an unlimited number of 60-day periods, for as long as your hospice doctor recertifies that you’re still terminally ill. You can stop hospice care at any point and return to standard Medicare coverage, and you can re-elect hospice care again later if you still qualify.
What’s Covered
- Physician and nursing services
- Drugs for pain and symptom management
- Medical equipment and supplies related to the terminal illness
- Home health aide and homemaker services
- Physical, occupational, and speech therapy
- Medical social services and grief/spiritual counseling for you and your family
- Short-term inpatient and respite care
What’s NOT Covered
Treatment intended to cure your terminal illness (rather than manage symptoms) isn’t covered once you’ve elected hospice care, and Medicare won’t pay for services from another provider that duplicate what your hospice team already provides.
What You’ll Pay in 2026
| Service | Your cost |
|---|---|
| Hospice care itself | $0 |
| Outpatient prescription drugs for pain/symptom management | Up to $5 per prescription |
| Inpatient respite care | 5% of the Medicare-approved amount, up to 5 days per stay |
What About Medicare Advantage?
If you’re in a Medicare Advantage plan, hospice care is still billed through Original Medicare Part A, not your Advantage plan — you don’t need to switch back to Original Medicare. Your Advantage plan continues to cover care unrelated to your terminal illness.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I stop hospice care if I change my mind?
Yes, at any time. You’d return to standard Medicare coverage, and any days remaining in that benefit period are not carried forward, though you can re-elect hospice care again in a future benefit period if you still qualify.
Does hospice care only happen at home?
Most hospice care is provided wherever you live, including assisted living or a nursing home, but short-term inpatient care is also covered when needed for symptom management or respite.
Will I lose other Medicare coverage if I choose hospice?
No, coverage for conditions unrelated to your terminal illness continues as normal.
