Louisiana Administrative Code
Title 50 - PUBLIC HEALTH-MEDICAL ASSISTANCE
Part XV - Services for Special Populations
Subpart 3 - Hospice
Chapter 35 - Recipient Eligibility
Section XV-3503 - Waiver of Payment for Other Services

A. Hospice providers must provide services to beneficiaries that are comparable to the Medicaid-covered services that could have been received prior to the election of hospice. This requirement refers to all Medicaid-covered services including, but not limited to, durable medical equipment, prescription drugs, and physician-administered drugs.

B. Beneficiaries who are age 21 and over may be eligible for additional personal care services as defined in the Medicaid State Plan. Services furnished under the personal care services benefit may be used to the extent that the hospice provider would otherwise need the services of the hospice beneficiarys family in implementing the plan of care.

C. Beneficiaries under age 21 who are approved for hospice may continue to receive life-prolonging treatments. Life-prolonging treatments are defined as Medicaid-covered services provided to a beneficiary with the purpose of treating, modifying, or curing a medical condition to allow the beneficiary to live as long as possible, even if that medical condition is also the hospice qualifying diagnosis. The hospice provider and other providers must coordinate life-prolonging treatments and these should be incorporated into the plan of care.

D. Beneficiaries under the age of 21 who are approved for hospice may also receive early and periodic screening, diagnostic and treatment personal care, extended home health, and pediatric day health care services concurrently. The hospice provider and the other service providers must coordinate services and develop the patients plan of care as set forth in §3705

E. For beneficiaries under the age of 21, the hospice provider is responsible for making a daily visit, unless specifically declined by the beneficiary or family, to coordinate care and ensure that there is no duplication of services. The daily visit is not required if the beneficiary is not in the home due to hospitalization or inpatient respite or inpatient hospice stays.

F. In the event that the federal or state government declares an emergency or disaster, the Medicaid Program may temporarily waive the provision requiring daily visits by the hospice provider to all clients under the age of 21 to facilitate continued care while maintaining the safety of staff and beneficiaries. Visits will still be completed based on clinical need of the beneficiary, family, and availability of staff, as requested by the family. The use of telemedicine visits as an alternative is allowed.