Hi-
Any help with how your agency handles hospice ambulance coverage would be appreciated!
The hospice benefit policy manual states under 40.1.9 that "Ambulance transports of a hospice patient, which are related to the terminal illness and which occur after the effective date of election, are the responsibility of the hospice."
From this guidance, our hospice covers transfers between facilities when a patient's level of care changes (RHC to respite) for example and covers transport for our patients for any issues that are clearly related to their terminal diagnosis. Is anyone able to provide any guidance on some situations that are a bit murkier:
Example 1- Patient's terminal dx is cancer, trips and falls at home and breaks a bone requiring transport to and eval at the ER. The broken bone is not related to or is not related to any metastasis.
Example 2- Patient is living home alone w/o caregiving. As the patient declines their caregiving needs increase requiring placement in LTC. The patient's level of care remains RHC and no changes to the hospice POC have occurred or are required.
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Matthew Cranny
Avera McKennan Home Care & Hospice
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