How to Pay for Hospice Care With Medicaid in Minnesota

Last reviewed: · Senova editorial team

Quick answer: If your loved one is enrolled in Minnesota Medical Assistance (Minnesota's Medicaid program) and a physician certifies they have a terminal illness with a life expectancy of six months or less, Minnesota Medical Assistance covers the full hospice benefit — including in-home nursing, medications related to the terminal diagnosis, medical equipment, counseling, and bereavement support — at little to no cost to the family. This guide walks you through eligibility, what's covered, how to enroll, and where to start in Minnesota.

When a family hears the word hospice for the first time, it usually arrives at the hardest possible moment. A doctor has said the words "six months or less." A parent has stopped responding to treatment. A spouse is exhausted from caregiving. And on top of the grief and the uncertainty, there's a practical question that nobody wants to ask out loud:

How are we going to pay for this?

If you're in Minnesota, and the person you love is on Medical Assistance — Minnesota's Medicaid program — there is good news in the middle of a hard moment. The Minnesota Medical Assistance hospice benefit is one of the most comprehensive in the country. It covers nearly everything related to your loved one's terminal illness, in their home or in a hospice facility, with minimal cost to the family.

We wrote this guide for the daughter at her father's bedside, the husband packing up the bedroom for a hospital bed, the social worker on the discharge call. Whatever path brought you here, you are not alone. Here's what you need to know — and what to do next.

What Is Hospice Care?

Hospice is a model of care designed for people who are in the final stage of a serious illness. The goal is not to cure the illness, but to keep the person comfortable, supported, and surrounded by the people they love — wherever home is for them.

Hospice care includes:

• Pain and symptom management by a nurse who visits regularly (and sometimes daily, if needed)
• Medical equipment like a hospital bed, oxygen, or a wheelchair
• Medications related to the terminal diagnosis
• A care team including a physician, registered nurse, social worker, home health aide, chaplain, and bereavement counselor
• 24/7 access to a hospice nurse by phone for crises
• Respite care for family caregivers — short-term inpatient stays so the primary caregiver can rest
• Bereavement support for the family for up to 13 months after the loss

Hospice is not a place. Most hospice care happens at home. It can also happen at a hospice residence, in a nursing facility, or in an inpatient hospice unit at a hospital.

Who Qualifies for Hospice in Minnesota?

A person qualifies for the Minnesota Medical Assistance hospice benefit if all four of the following are true:

1. They are enrolled in Minnesota Medical Assistance (MA). This is Minnesota's name for Medicaid.
2. A physician (the attending doctor) and the hospice medical director certify that the person has a terminal illness with a life expectancy of six months or less, if the illness runs its normal course. This is a clinical judgment — not a guarantee or a deadline.
3. The person — or their legal representative — elects the hospice benefit in writing. This means they choose hospice instead of curative treatment for the terminal illness.
4. The hospice provider is certified by Medicare and enrolled with Minnesota DHS.

Two important clarifications families often ask about:

• Living longer than six months is fine. Many people do. Hospice can be re-certified for additional 60- and 90-day benefit periods as long as the physician still believes the prognosis is six months or less. Families often tell us their loved one stabilized — even improved — once hospice started.
• Choosing hospice does not mean "giving up." It means choosing a different goal: comfort over cure for the terminal illness. The person can still receive treatment for unrelated conditions (a urinary tract infection, for example, or a broken bone from a fall).

What Does Minnesota Medical Assistance Cover Under Hospice?

The Minnesota MA hospice benefit covers four levels of hospice care, each designed for a different level of need. Your loved one may move between levels depending on what their symptoms require.

1. Routine home care

The most common level. A hospice nurse, aide, and other team members visit the home on a schedule. The person stays where they live — their home, an assisted living, or a nursing facility.

2. Continuous home care

For periods of crisis (uncontrolled pain, severe symptoms) when extended nursing presence at home is needed to avoid hospitalization. Nurses are on-site for eight or more hours in a 24-hour period.

3. Inpatient respite care

A short stay (up to five days at a time) in an inpatient hospice facility, so the family caregiver can rest, attend a wedding, or simply breathe.

4. General inpatient care

For symptoms that cannot be managed at home — usually short-term, in a hospital, hospice facility, or nursing home with a contracted hospice unit.

Across all four levels, the benefit covers:

• All nursing, social work, chaplaincy, and home health aide visits
• All medications related to the terminal diagnosis (delivered to the home)
• Medical equipment (hospital bed, oxygen, wheelchair, commode, etc.)
• Medical supplies (wound care, incontinence products, etc.)
• Counseling and bereavement support for the family
• Volunteer companionship visits

What is not covered by the hospice benefit specifically (but may be covered elsewhere):

• Room and board at a residential hospice or nursing facility — these are covered through other Medical Assistance programs or waivers, not through the hospice benefit itself
• Treatments aimed at curing the terminal illness (the person elects to forgo these as a condition of receiving hospice)
• Care from a hospice provider not on the person's chosen team (with some exceptions for emergencies)

How Much Will the Family Actually Pay?

In most cases, the family pays nothing for the hospice benefit itself when the person is on Minnesota Medical Assistance.

You may still encounter costs in these areas:

• Room and board at a residential hospice or assisted living, if the person doesn't qualify for a waiver that covers those costs
• A small copay on hospice drugs in rare cases (Minnesota MA generally has $0 or very low copays for most enrollees)
• Out-of-pocket items the family chooses to add (private duty companions, alternative therapies, special foods)

If your loved one has both Medicare and Medical Assistance ("dual-eligible"), the hospice benefit is usually billed to Medicare first, and Medical Assistance covers what Medicare does not. Either way, your out-of-pocket cost is generally $0.

How to Enroll: The Step-by-Step Process

This is the most common question we hear: "What do we actually do, today?" Here's the path.

Step 1 — Confirm Medical Assistance enrollment

If you're not sure whether your loved one is on Minnesota Medical Assistance:

• Call the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) at 651-431-2670 (Twin Cities) or 800-657-3739 (statewide)
• Or apply online at mn.gov/dhs under "Apply for Health Care"
• Or visit your county's human services office in person

If the person is not yet enrolled but appears eligible (income and asset thresholds vary by household size), apply now — enrollment can be retroactive up to three months.

Step 2 — Ask the attending physician for a hospice referral

Any physician — the primary care doctor, the oncologist, the hospitalist — can refer to hospice. You can also self-refer in many cases. A hospice intake nurse will visit, evaluate, and coordinate the physician certification.

Step 3 — Choose a hospice provider

You have the right to choose any Minnesota-certified hospice provider. Things to consider:

• Service area — does the provider cover the city or county where the person lives?
• Reputation — Medicare's Care Compare tool publishes hospice quality ratings; ask the discharge planner or social worker for local recommendations
• Specialty — some hospices have specialized programs (veterans, dementia, pediatric)
• Setting — do they have an inpatient unit if needed?

You can find Minnesota hospice providers, with reviews and contact information, in our free directory at senova.info/hospice/minnesota.

Step 4 — Sign the election form

The hospice will bring an "election of benefits" form. Signing this confirms that the person is choosing hospice and (for Medicare/Medicaid) is agreeing not to pursue curative treatment for the terminal illness. The form can be revoked at any time — hospice is not a one-way door.

Step 5 — Care begins, often the same day

Most Minnesota hospices can have a nurse at the home within 24 hours of the election form being signed. The hospital bed, the medications, and the rest of the equipment usually follow within 24–48 hours.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can my loved one stay in their nursing facility and get hospice?

Yes. The hospice team will coordinate with the facility. Routine hospice care is delivered alongside the nursing facility's standard care, and many facilities have long-standing partnerships with one or more hospice providers.

What if we want to revoke hospice?

You can revoke at any time, in writing. The person will return to standard Medical Assistance coverage, including coverage for curative treatment.

Can we change hospice providers?

Yes, you can switch hospice providers once per benefit period.

Does Minnesota Medical Assistance cover hospice for children?

Yes. Minnesota Medical Assistance covers pediatric hospice, and importantly, it allows children under 21 to receive both curative treatment AND hospice services concurrently (this is called "concurrent care"). This is a significant benefit for families with seriously ill children.

What about veterans?

Veterans may be eligible for hospice coverage through the VA in addition to Medical Assistance. Many Minnesota hospices have specialized veteran programs (look for "We Honor Veterans" partner status).

What if we live in greater Minnesota or a rural county?

Hospice is available in every Minnesota county. Some rural counties have fewer providers, but most hospices serve large geographic areas. Our directory at senova.info filters by city and county.

Where to Start in Minnesota

You don't have to figure this out alone, and you don't have to make the first call. If you're in Minnesota and you're trying to start hospice for someone you love, here are three places that can take the next step with you, today:

1. The Senior LinkAge Line — 800-333-2433. A free state-supported phone service that helps families navigate Medical Assistance, hospice referrals, and long-term care decisions.
2. The hospital social worker or discharge planner, if your loved one is currently in a hospital. They can place a hospice referral the same day.
3. Senova.info's free hospice directory. Search by city, filter by Medical Assistance acceptance, and see verified providers in your area. Free, no account required.

A Note From Senova

We built Senova because we believe families navigating the hardest seasons of life — terminal illness, advanced dementia, recovery from addiction, the slow transitions of aging — deserve clear answers, free directories, and someone in their corner. Hospice is one of the most caring, comprehensive benefits the American healthcare system offers. If your loved one qualifies, please use it. It exists because someone, somewhere, decided that the end of life deserves the same care and respect as the beginning.

We are sorry for what you're walking through. We hope this helped.

Have a question this guide didn't answer? Reach our care team at help@senova.info. A real person will reply within one business day.

This guide is for general information and does not constitute legal, medical, or financial advice. Coverage details, eligibility rules, and program names can change. Verify current eligibility and benefits with the Minnesota Department of Human Services (mn.gov/dhs) or a Minnesota-certified hospice intake nurse before making care decisions.

Related guides on Senova: - Minnesota Elderly Waiver: Eligibility, Benefits & How to Apply - Adult Day Care vs. In-Home Care: Cost, Coverage & How to Choose - Hospital Discharge Checklist for Caregivers - Find Hospice Providers in Saint Paul, MN - Find Hospice Providers Across Minnesota

Reviewed by the Senova editorial team. Medical disclaimer: General guidance, not medical advice. Verify current eligibility and benefits with Minnesota DHS (mn.gov/dhs) or your licensed provider before making decisions.