Ill. HFS Handbook for Hospice Agencies, Topic K-250.2

Continuous Home Care requires a minimum of eight (8) hours of care during a 24-hour day that begins and ends at midnight. The care does not need to be

consecutive but must total at least eight (8) hours; i.e., four (4) hours in the morning

and four (4) hours in the evening.

Continuous home care is reimbursed by the quarter-hour. The quarter-hour rate will

be reimbursed for every quarter-hour or part of a quarter-hour of continuous home

care provided up to 24 hours a day. If the hospice bills less than a total of 32

quarter-hour units (eight hours) in a day, the claim will not be rejected, but will be

paid at the routine home care rate.

Continuous home care is provided during a period in which a patient requires

continuous care that is primarily nursing care to achieve palliation or management of

acute medical symptoms. A registered nurse, a licensed practical nurse, a home

health aide or a homemaker may provide care; however, a registered nurse or a

licensed practical nurse must provide care for more than half of the period of

continuous care. Continuous home care is covered only when it is provided to

maintain a patient at home during a medical crisis. Hospices must keep

appropriate documentation to support this level of care as medically necessary.

Suspected abuse of this benefit may warrant Department referral for audit.