Ind. IHCP Hospice Services Provider Reference Module, Section 4, Patients Admitted to Noncontracted Hospital

If a member is admitted to a noncontracted hospital, the hospice must discharge the member, as it does not

have a written agreement required under 42 CFR 418.108(c). A hospice provider cannot continue to follow

a patient and maintain professional management when the patient is admitted to a hospital that the hospice

provider does not have a contract with and the patient was admitted with a diagnosis unrelated to primary

hospice diagnosis. The hospice provider is required to have a contract with the hospital. If the patient is

admitted for care related to the terminal illness, the hospice provider should try to work with the hospital to

enter into a contract so that professional management can continue. Documentation of all efforts made and

appropriate hospital personnel contacted to pursue a contract should be included in the patient record. If a

contract cannot be obtained, discharge is appropriate.