Medicare Recipients Choose Nursing Homes Over Hospices for End-of-Life Care

According to a new study, nearly one-third of Medicare beneficiaries choose to stay in nursing homes over hospices for end-of-life care because Medicare doesn't cover room and board at hospices.

The study's authors believe that Medicare's nursing home benefits should cover palliative and hospice care: "Perhaps having Medicare pay concurrently for post-acute SNF care and hospice services for the same condition could allow earlier incorporation of palliative care for these medically complex patients."

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