The Hospice Benefit for Veterans
Hospice care is part of the Veterans Health Administration VA benefits package. As a veteran, you are eligible for care if you are enrolled in benefits and you meet the medical need for hospice.
Comfort care at no cost to veterans or their families
Hospice-related expenses for enrolled veterans are covered at 100 percent. Compassus receives payment in full from Medicare, Medicaid, Tri-Care or the Veterans Administration. We also provide charity hospice care to our uninsured veterans.
Enrollment information is found on the Veterans Affairs website or call a hospice care coordinator at a Compassus location near you.
VA hospice benefits
- Care available at your home, nursing home, assisted living or wherever you call home
- No co-pay for hospice care
- Home medical equipment, medication and personal care supplies
- Pain and symptoms managed to your goals
- Care coordinated with your doctors
- Physical, occupational and other therapy services
- Volunteers with military experience (when available)
- Spiritual care for veterans and their family members
- Ongoing grief counseling for patients and family
VA MISSION Act
On June 6, 2019, military veterans gained access to more community health care options thanks to the VA MISSION Act. Veterans who must drive 30 minutes or more to a VA care provider or 60 minutes for specialty care now have the option to choose a community provider closer to home.
Veterans living in communities served by Compassus may have new opportunities to access comfort care services or palliative care.
We Honor Veterans program
We partner with We Honor Veterans to improve our care for veterans. The program offers resources and training to align our care with the unique physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs of our veteran patients.
Eligibility for veterans
If you served in active duty in the uniformed services and separated under any condition other than dishonorable, you likely qualify for VA health care benefits. Current and former members of the Reserve or National Guard who were called to active duty by a federal order and completed the full period for which they were ordered may also be eligible for VA health benefits as well.
Visit the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Geriatrics and Long-term Care page for hospice and palliative care application forms. You may also contact a care coordinator at a Compassus location near you to learn about local end-of-life benefits and your options.
Benefits of the veterans program include:
- Streamlined referral and admission process
- Familiarity with the VA system and help with identifying and accessing benefits
- Coordination of care with the local VA medical center, including joint visits
- VA caregiver support
Specialized emotional support
Military service may leave some veterans with physical or emotional wounds. Potential problems from service in combat are well known. What may be less visible are problems from exposure to chemical or biological hazards, extreme weather, diseases or emotional trauma. These wounds can be present, even for veterans in non-combat roles.
Military service values perseverance, even in the face of difficulty or pain. Some veterans may suppress problems until the end of life. We fully support our veterans to help them find peace and to make the most of the time they have with family and friends.
We can help you navigate the paperwork to receive these benefits
- Military discharge papers, DD-214 or Report of Separation
- Replacing lost medals
- VA pensions, including Aid and Attendance
- Compensation benefits for diseases or disabilities acquired while serving
- Burial benefits for vets and death pensions
- Survivors' benefits for spouses and dependents