Medicare Rights for Hospice Patients Outlined

Individuals with terminal illnesses have the right to choose their end-of-life care.  That has long been an issue that has received attention from individuals, families, the public, hospitals, insurance companies and more.

The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has now put this information in writing, including it in the outline of a new regulation regarding this issue.  CMS will publish and release the outline later this year.

Previously, there was no specific language regarding individual patient’s rights in regulations.  This new regulation is the first update since 1983, when Hospice care and end-of-life rights were not as wide an issue as they have become now.

Many Hospice patients are already very involved in their rights, care and treatment, as well as their wishes as they come to the end of their life, however, now that there is a specific regulation with language in place which details and reinforces those rights, there is stronger protection for those who might want to explain their wishes but need the support to do so.

Some of the rights of individuals involved in Hospice care or palliative care include participation in their treatment plan, the right to effective pain management, the right to refuse treatment and the right to choose their own physician.

Hospice care can be chosen when a patient decides that curative care is no longer an option for them.  By choosing Hospice care, they are choosing to receive care that will provide comfort and care to themselves and sometimes to the family members, as well.  This type of care can be provided at home as well as in an inpatient setting.  Nearly one million Medicare beneficiaries are receiving Hospice care at any given time.

Updating the regulation and reinforcing patients rights – on paper – is an important step in making sure that the individuals who are making decisions about end-of-life issues do not have to struggle with the emotional issues involving deciding on care and receiving support.

Filed under: General-Medicare

Tags: CMS, end of life, Hospice, Hospice regulations, Medicare regulations, terminal illness