1. Public agency or private organization primarily engaged in providing pain relief, symptom management, counseling, and supportive services to terminally ill patients and their families in their own homes, in a homelike center, or inpatient or outpatient hospital facility. The whole family is considered the unit of care and care extends through their period of mourning. 2. In the Medicare program, when a beneficiary chooses hospice benefits, all other Medicare benefits are discontinued except physician services and treatment of conditions not related to the terminal illness. Hospice care is covered under Medicare Part A (hospital insurance). The eligible beneficiary must have a life expectancy of 6 months or less. 3. Facility, other than a patient’s home, in which palliative and supportive care for terminally ill patients and their families are provided.
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An organization which is primarily designed to provide pain relief, symptom management and supportive services for the terminally ill and their families.