About Hospice Discharge, Revocation, and Transfer

Course overview

Patients may stop receiving hospice services prior to death for various reasons. They may be discharged because their condition has changed and they are no longer eligible for the Medicare Hospice Benefit, they may be admitted to a non-contracted facility, or they may be discharged for cause. Patients also have the right to revoke their Medicare hospice election and to transfer hospices. These actions are regulated by Medicare and trends for discharges and revocations are also quality indicators. This course presents how patients may leave hospice, considerations after they leave, and regulatory scrutiny related to hospice discharge practices. The goal of this course is to provide nurses in hospice with knowledge of hospice discharge, revocation, and transfer.