Which statement accurately describes hospice eligibility criteria regarding life expectancy?

• A. One year or less
• B. Six months or less
• C. Three months or less
• D. Nine months or less

Answer: (B)

Hospice eligibility hinges on a physician’s prognosis that the patient has six months or less to live if the disease runs its usual course. This six-month benchmark guides when end-of-life, comfort-focused care under most payers, including Medicare, can begin. Prognosis is an estimate and can be revisited; patients can be recertified for another six months if still appropriate, and some may receive hospice care for longer than six months if the condition remains terminal.

Other timeframes don’t align with standard practice. Aiming for a year would delay shifting to comfort-focused care for those whose prognosis shortens sooner, while three or nine months aren’t the established threshold used for eligibility.