Careers Contact
Home Hospice Hospice Care Eligibility

Who Is Eligible For Hospice Care?

In order to begin hospice care, patients must meet hospice eligibility requirements established by the U.S. Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

While no specific number of symptoms is required to qualify for hospice, these guidelines can help determine if a patient’s condition is appropriate for hospice care.

Hospice Eligibility Requirements

  • Patient has been diagnosed with a life-limiting condition and a prognosis of six months or less if their disease runs its normal course
  • Frequent hospitalizations in the past six months
  • Progressive weight loss (taking into account weight from edema)
  • Increasing weakness, fatigue, and somnolence
  • A change in cognitive and functional abilities
  • Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) are compromised – this includes eating, bathing, dressing, toileting, transferring, walking, and continence
  • Deteriorating mental abilities
  • Recurrent infections
  • Skin breakdown
  • Specific decline in condition

What Diseases Are Hospice Eligible?

It’s important to note that the presence of two or more chronic diseases or conditions at the same time are factored into consideration to qualify for hospice. Below is a list of some of the diseases that qualify a patient for hospice care, though there are others not listed as well:

  • AIDS
  • Cancer
  • Cerebral Vascular Accident (CVA)/Stroke
  • COPD/Cardiopulmonary Disease
  • Dementia
  • Liver Disease
  • Neurological Conditions (non-Alzheimer’s dementia,
  • Parkinson’s disease, Multiple Sclerosis, ALS, and Huntington’s Disease)
  • Renal Disease

Not Sure What Services You Need?
Let Us Be Your Guide

Hospice

We need support and guidance to manage our family member’s pain and quality of life as their life-limiting illness progresses.

Home Health

I need help managing my medical condition at home after a recent hospital stay.
My parent needs a nurse or a physical, speech or occupational therapist to help them manage their medical condition at home.

Personal Care

Daily tasks, like laundry, bathing, and grocery shopping, are becoming more challenging for me.I need some help.
My parent needs assistance with meals and housekeeping to stay independent.

Navigator Services

I’m struggling to coordinate all the care my parent needs and could use some more expert guidance.

Getting Started

Whether you’re looking for personal care, home health or hospice, we are here to guide you or your loved one. Simply make your selection and help will be on the way.