Medicare Advantage Plans & Hospice-CMS 2024 updates

[Tscholar]

Just got an update from AHIP about CMS 2024 updates. Slide 31: Part C: Medicare Advantage Plan Benefits • All Medicare Advantage (MA) plans must cover all Part A and Part B benefits. Does this mean that Medicare Advantage Plans will be required to cover hospice next year?

 

[Fisher]

Hospice care defaults to original Medicare for MAPD enrollees now. I have never had any issue with that, including with my own Dad.

Have you ever had an Advantage client denied hospice care? If not, I haven't a clue what your question is in regard to.

 

[rmhaire]

Just got an update from AHIP about CMS 2024 updates. Slide 31: Part C: Medicare Advantage Plan Benefits • All Medicare Advantage (MA) plans must cover all Part A and Part B benefits. Does this mean that Medicare Advantage Plans will be required to cover hospice next year?

No. Hospice has always come under OM and will probably always be.

The reason is that Medicare pays 100% of hospice charges. There's really no need for a supplement or an MA plan. Just OM.

However, if you have a client that has a supplement or an MA plan, never tell them that it's ok to drop it. The reason is that the client/patient has to show a steady decline in health each month that they're on hospice. Those that don't are removed

 

[straightnochaser]

Just got an update from AHIP about CMS 2024 updates. Slide 31: Part C: Medicare Advantage Plan Benefits • All Medicare Advantage (MA) plans must cover all Part A and Part B benefits. Does this mean that Medicare Advantage Plans will be required to cover hospice next year?

Negative

 

[TwoCents]

For what it's worth CMS and various carriers are running a demonstration where hospice benefits are provided by the MA -- just an FYI for some of you.