Del. Medical Assistance Program Hospice Provider Specific Policy Manual § 2.1

2.1.1 To be covered, a certification that the individual is terminally ill must be

completed. Hospice services must be reasonable and necessary for the palliation

or management of the terminal illness and related conditions. A plan of care must

be established before services are provided. To be covered, services must be

consistent with the plan of care.

2.1.2 In establishing the initial plan of care, the member of the basic interdisciplinary

group who assesses the patient’s needs must meet or call at least one other

group member (nurse, physician, medical social worker or counselor) in

collaboration to finalize the patient’s needs before writing the initial plan of care.

2.1.3 At least one of the persons involved in developing the initial plan must be a nurse

or physician. This plan must be established on the same day as the assessment

if the day of assessment is to be a covered day of hospice care. The other two

members of the basic interdisciplinary group must review the initial plan of care

and provide their input to the process of establishing the plan of care within two

calendar days following the day of assessments.