Medicare hospice benefit: early program experiences.

In this article, an overview of the Medicare hospice benefit is presented and selected preliminary findings from the Medicare hospice benefit program evaluation are provided. By mid-1987, about one-half of all community home health agency-based hospices were Medicare certified, compared with about one-fifth of all independent/freestanding hospices and one-seventh of hospital and skilled nursing facility-based hospices. Medicare beneficiary election of the hospice benefit increased from about 2,000 beneficiaries in fiscal year 1984 to about 11,000 during fiscal year 1986. Medicare reimbursed hospices an average of $1,798, $2,078 and $2,337 per patient during fiscal years 1984, 1985, and 1986, respectively.