Short answer up top, then the exact rule. Here's what Original Medicare does and doesn't cover for hospice care in 2026 — and where a Medicare Advantage plan can fill the gap.
Quick answer: Yes. Part A covers hospice care for a terminal illness, and you pay nothing for covered hospice services. The benefit covers nursing care, medical equipment and supplies, drugs for pain and symptom relief, counseling, and support for your family. Medicare does not cover treatment meant to cure the terminal illness.
Even if you're in a Medicare Advantage plan, Original Medicare (Part A) pays for your hospice care — you don't have to leave your plan, and hospice is covered the same way for everyone with Medicare. Your Advantage plan still covers services unrelated to the terminal illness.
Families making end-of-life care decisions for a loved one on Medicare. The hospice benefit is one of Medicare's most complete — near-zero out-of-pocket cost for comfort-focused care at home or in a facility, plus support for the family.
See the current Part A, Part B, and Part D numbers — premiums, deductibles, and the new drug cap — in one place. Free, no signup.
See 2026 Medicare Costs →You pay nothing for covered hospice services. The only possible charges are up to $5 per prescription for outpatient drugs for pain and symptom management, and 5% of the Medicare-approved amount for inpatient respite care. Room and board isn't covered if you live in a nursing home.
It doesn't cover treatment meant to cure your terminal illness, prescription drugs to cure (rather than comfort) the illness, care from a hospice provider you didn't set up with your hospice team, or room and board in a facility. Once you elect hospice, curative treatment for that illness stops being covered.
Coverage gaps in Original Medicare — like hospice care — are exactly what a Medicare Advantage or Medigap plan is meant to fill. Our free Enrollment Finder shows the window you can switch in, and the guide library walks through the trade-offs. This page is free to share with anyone weighing their options.
Open the Enrollment Finder →This answer is based on U.S. government Medicare coverage rules: