Hospice Care Is Free!

Yes, it's true! Hospice care is a covered benefit for almost everyone.  And by almost everyone, we mean that Saint Verena Hospice Care has never had to turn away a patient due to non-coverage!


If a patient has Medicare and they need hospice care, hospice care is free!


If a patient has MediCal/MedicAid and they need hospice care, hospice care is free!


If a patient has major insurance coverage (Blue Shield, Blue Cross, HealthNet, etc.)

and they need hospice care, hospice care is free!


How is this possible?


Hospice care has been a guaranteed benefit, like preventative well-person visits,

since 1983.

There is NO CO-PAYMENT.

There is NO DEDUCTIBLE.


All Saint Verena Hospice Care needs to enroll patients for hospice care is proof of their enrollment in MediCare, MediCal/MedicAid, or major insurance carrier (proof of enrollment is usually their membership number).  


The steps to enrolling for Hospice Care:


  1. A patient has been diagnosed with a terminal illness.  
  2. The patient's primary care physician certifies that the patient's prognosis (possible future condition) is death within six months or less if the disease runs its normal course. (Many patients do not immediately require hospice care when diagnosed with a terminal illness. Hospice care is only available to those patients diagnosed with a terminal illness that has reached the point where the prognosis is probable death within six months or less.)
  3. The patient no longer seeks curative treatment (no further surgery, treatment, or hospitalization) of the terminal illness. They wish for comfort-focused treatment (i.e. maintenance of symptoms, like blood pressure stabilization, edema/pain reduction, easing shortness of breath, anxiety reduction, etc.).
  4. The patient, family, or primary care physician contacts Saint Verena Hospice Care. We at Saint Verena Hospice Care will discuss the patient's diagnosis, prognosis, goals for treatment, environment, and insurance and/or government aid enrollment to ensure coverage.
  5. A representative of Saint Verena Hospice Care will visit the patient and family to formally admit the patient to our Hospice services. (This doesn't mean you will be transferred to a hospice facility--"admission" means we are accepting responsibility for your hospice care. The patient may live wherever he or she chooses, including their own home, a family member's home, a board and care facility, skilled nursing facility, etc.)​


Don't wait. Call us today!

​(714) 528-8856




Type your paragraph here.