Med Supp and Hospice Patients

[NIAMAN]

In your professional opinions, what should be the rule when client's on a Medicare supplement go into Hospice care ? Should they keep their supplement, should they take advantage of a GI to get a new one if losing other creditable coverage, etc ? Opinions.Thoughts?

 

[Newby]

Yes. Most keep it until death once they are that unhealthy. Some people do come out of hospice. Others have emergancies.

 

[NIAMAN]

Very True. My thoughts are that I cannot discourage someone from having all the coverage possible, and I don't want the liability of advising someone to drop their coverage. I am just wondering how often others run into this, and what they advise clients.

 

[Newby]

Very True. My thoughts are that I cannot discourage someone from having all the coverage possible, and I don't want the liability of advising someone to drop their coverage. I am just wondering how often others run into this, and what they advise clients.

I would never advise someone under hospice to drop their Med Sup. And I can't remember ever being asked if they should by a family member.

Anything can happen. What if they fell out of bed and needed medical care other than just pain relief? What if there was a fire and they were burned? What if a crazy drugged up family member abused them? What if they were in an accident during transport?

Just because someone is in hospice care doesn't mean there's 100% assurance that they won't need medical care. It's not likely but it happens.