You will be responsible for paying up to $5 for outpatient prescription drugs covered through the hospice benefit (prescription drugs related to pain relief and symptom control). Drugs for pain relief and symptom control received as an inpatient of a hospice, hospital or nursing facility are covered in full.

Drugs not covered by the hospice benefit may be covered by the Medicare drug benefit if you are enrolled in a Medicare private drug plan. The costs for those drugs vary by plan. 

You will pay a copay of no more than 5 percent of the Medicare approved amount for each day of inpatient respite care you receive. Respite care is a part of the hospice benefit that provides relief to caregivers. Your total copays should be no more than the inpatient hospital deductible amount for the year you first elected hospice care. The hospital deductible is $1,184 in 2013.

For more information about the Medicare prescription drug benefit, click on the link in the GO TO box.

If you have questions about billing for hospice care you should contact your Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC). MACs are regional, you should call 800-MEDICARE to find out how to contact your local MAC