What Medicare Pays For and How Families Can Fill the Gaps
When a loved one begins hospice, many families hope Medicare will fund 24 hour care at home. The Medicare Hospice Benefit is generous, but it does not usually include round the clock caregiving in the home. Understanding what is covered in California helps you plan for comfort, safety, and support in the final months.
At 24 Hour Caregivers, we work alongside hospice teams in Southern California to ensure your family is never alone. Here is how Medicare coverage works and where private in-home care can help.
What the Medicare Hospice Benefit Covers at Home
Medicare focuses on comfort care, symptom control, and family support. For eligible patients who choose hospice, coverage typically includes:
- Regular nurse visits for assessment and symptom management
- On call support by phone for urgent needs
- Hospice aide visits for brief personal care
- Social work and spiritual care
- Medications, equipment, and supplies related to the terminal diagnosis
- Short term respite in an inpatient setting when criteria are met
These services are delivered through scheduled visits and phone support. They are not continuous shifts in the home.
Learn more about aligned support on our Hospice and Palliative Care page.
Does Medicare Ever Cover Care at Home Around the Clock
Medicare has a short duration option called continuous home care. It is reserved for brief periods when a patient is in crisis and needs intensive nursing to manage acute symptoms at home.
Key facts:
- It is crisis based, not ongoing
- It must be medically necessary and authorized by the hospice
- It generally lasts only until symptoms stabilize
When the crisis resolves, services return to routine hospice visits. Families who need ongoing supervision or hands on help still require private care.
What Medicare Does Not Usually Cover
Medicare does not typically pay for:
- Daily 24 hour care in the home
- Long term live in support
- Ongoing supervision for safety, wandering, or fall risk
- Homemaking or extended custodial care outside of brief aide visits
These needs are common and can be overwhelming for spouses and adult children. Private in-home care can fill these gaps so your loved one can remain at home with comfort and dignity.
How Private In-Home Care Complements Hospice
Our caregivers coordinate with your hospice nurse and team to provide the daily support Medicare does not fund.
We can assist with:
- Continuous presence for safety and reassurance
- Turning, repositioning, toileting, bathing, and comfort care
- Light meal preparation and hydration reminders
- Medication reminders as directed by hospice
- Gentle companionship and family support
- Overnight supervision so loved ones can rest
Explore options for 24 hours, live in, and respite care.
Paying for 24 Hour Support
Because Medicare does not fund ongoing 24 hour in-home care, families often use a combination of:
- Private pay
- Long term care insurance
- Veterans benefits, when eligible
- Short periods of hospice continuous care during crises
We help you design schedules that balance budget, family availability, and changing care needs.
Choosing Support That Honors Your Loved One’s Wishes
Every situation is unique. Some families need a few hours of help each day. Others need full time coverage so everyone can be present for meaningful moments.
Why families choose 24 Hour Caregivers:
- Caregivers are our trained employees, not contractors
- Coordinated communication with your hospice team
- Flexible schedules that can scale as needs change
- Service across Southern California. See our locations
We also support complex conditions such as dementia, Parkinson’s, and heart or lung disease. Learn more on our Home Health and Chronic Condition Care page.
Talk With Us About a Plan That Fits
If you are starting hospice or planning ahead, we can help you understand coverage and create a care plan that keeps your loved one comfortable at home.
Have questions today
Contact us for a calm, no pressure conversation about care options that align with your values.
