You are in hospice, but are expected to have 6 to 8 weeks to live. You are still ambulatory. You fall, you dislocate your shoulder, or your knee, or have a compound fracture. You are in agony, and know that will will only get worse. You don't want to go to the ER and be discharged from hospice. Do you have any other choices? What would happen if you got to an orthopedist and were refused treatment for the compound fracture because the office doesn't have the faculties for surgery?
If you go to the hospital FOR treatment that has a link to your terminal diagnosis, then you will be discharged from hospice for the time you are in the hospital. You can be reinstated the minute you are out of the hospital.
In the scenario you give I would call for a lift assist and call Hospice. Once the paramedics determine that the possibility of a broken bone is very likely they will transport you. You should notify Hospice. Think of it just as you would if you were on vacation and you fell, broke a leg and were out of your insurance network. You would notify them of the emergency and most likely they would approve the hospitalization. Think of Hospice as your Primary.
If you fall you can call 911 and ask for a lift assist.
If you are transported to the hospital Hospice is not responsible for the bill. (main reason for this is Hospice is billing your insurance or Medicare for services now the hospital will as well, your insurance or Medicare is not going to pay 2 billers) You can drop Hospice an let your regular insurance take over. If surgery is required that will be through your regular insurance. Hospice does not do re-hab so that would be through your regular insurance. Once you have recovered from the fall you can return to Hospice.
The main goal of Hospice is to provide comfort, relieve pain and to make EOL as comfortable as possible physically, emotionally and spiritually. That does not include surgery or re-hab.
When that treatment is done, you go back on hospice. Not unusual, and not a big deal.
If the nurse hadn't been scheduled I would have called the 24-hour hospice line. There are some things that can't be handled at home and do need more than pain relief. But if your loved one is on hospice, that is who you should call first.
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