How to Choose a Hospice Provider
All LMHPCO Provider Members are licensed by their respective state departments of health (i.e., in Louisiana, the Department of Health and Hospitals [DHH] and in Mississippi, the State Department of Health [MSDH]) and are certified by Medicare as meeting the Conditions of Participation (or CoPs) for reimbursement through the Medicare Hospice Benefit (established by Congress in 1984).
While all licensed and Medicare certified hospice agencies provide the same basic end-of-life care services, each hospice interdisciplinary team is a unique provider and has its own collective personality. Thus, consumers are encouraged to discuss their specific requirement for care with their physician as well as with different hospice agency representatives serving their particular neighborhood and/or community before selecting a particular hospice.
Given the unique nature of the relationship between the hospice agency and the patient and family, it is of utmost importance for the patient, family and hospice agency to establish a comfortable working relationship — a relationship that continues through the patient’s death and family’s bereavement follow-up.
Although the Medicare Hospice Benefits allows patients to transfer to a different hospice agency once every benefit period, such a change can be very traumatic for patients and families. LMHPCO encourages consumers to interview representatives from several hospice agencies before deciding upon a particular hospice provider for themselves or a loved one.
Call PC Hospice for a free information consult with no obligation. Our phone number is (225) 638-5757.
