Also see these articles which discuss that another new rule denied ALL Medicare drug payment to patients in hospices, then after an outcry, now they are “only” denying it for pain medications, expecting hospices to pick up the tab.
U.S. Medicare program scales back hospice drugs restrictions
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3182342/posts
Medicare Modifies Controversial Hospice Drug Rule (won’t pay for pain relief pills)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3182318/posts
See also:
Medicare Seeks To Stop Overpayments For Hospice Patients’ Drugs
May 1, 2014
“”Instead of leaving it to insurers and hospice providers to identify the drugs they are responsible for, the new rule sets up a process that requires Part D plans to reject initially any prescription from a hospice patient. The patient or doctor, with the hospice provider’s agreement, must explain to the insurer why the drug is not related to end-of-life care. The insurer may deny coverage for a number of reasons, including if the doctor or hospice did not explain sufficiently why the drug was unrelated to the terminal illness, Medicare officials told hospice organizations and insurers” “
WTH is that? Pain relief is what hospice DOES. Morphine is their stock & trade in helping the dying.