A family is considering hospice for their loved one who is terminally ill, but they are concerned that they cannot afford hospice care. Which response by the nurse is accurate?

• A. The hospice program usually has a small co-pay.
• B. The hospice provides better quality of care than the family can.
• C. The hospice assists with curative treatments for dying patients and their families.
• D. The hospice Medicare program pays for all equipment and medications that are related to the patient's primary hospice diagnosis.

Answer: (D)

Medicare’s hospice benefit covers the full scope of care needed for a terminal illness, including all equipment and medications that are directly related to the hospice diagnosis. This means the family usually doesn’t have out-of-pocket costs for these items, since the hospice program is reimbursed through Medicare for those services.

This is why the statement about Medicare paying for all equipment and medications tied to the hospice diagnosis is the most accurate for affordability. The other ideas aren’t as accurate: hospice care isn’t typically described as having a co-pay, and its focus is on comfort rather than curative treatment, with the goal of symptom relief rather than pursuing curative options.