Adam, my mom is really sick and doesn’t have much time left. What, if anything, does Medicare cover for the end of life care?
Medicare provides the most health care coverage during a person’s final year than any other insurer in the US. A lot of these benefits are not usually covered by Medicare and require a terminal diagnosis from a doctor. Once diagnosed an individual can receive palliative or comfort care where the treatment is focused on reducing pain and discomfort as opposed to actually treating the sickness. This can include things like medications for pain management, durable medical equipment, homemaker, and social services. All of these services can be provided either at home or in the facility where the client currently resides.
Medicare will also cover bereavement counseling. This counseling is designed to help deal with the mental aspect of being terminally ill. These counseling sessions can be in a group, with family or as an individual.
