Community Hospice, PASSPORT offering new joint services

Published 12:00 am Monday, August 29, 2005

Community Hospice and the Area Agency on Aging District 7 are working together to provide Medicare and Medicaid services.

The agencies have announced that consumers may now access hospice and PASSPORT service simultaneously.

PASSPORT (Pre-Admission Screening System Providing Options & Resources Today), a Medicaid-waiver program administered by the Area Agency on Aging District 7, provides in-home care services for consumers that meet certain eligibility requirements.

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Some of the services offered through PASSPORT include personal care, homemaker services, home-delivered meals, medical transportation, adult day care, home medical equipment and supplies and a medical emergency response system.

PASSPORT service care plans are facilitated by either a licensed social worker or registered nurse case managers and are approved by the consumer's family physician.

Community Hospice offers end-of-life care for patients who have been diagnosed with life-limiting illnesses.

Hospice patients are assigned a registered nurse as their case manager with a team of caregivers that includes a certified nursing assistant, a social worker, chaplain and medical director.

Hospice patients are most often referred by their family or their physician, and all hospice care is also coordinated through the patient's primary physician.

Community Hospice is Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance certified.

"We are pleased that Ohio regulations have been changed to allow Hospice and PASSPORT services to be offered together," said Susan Hunt, executive director of Community Hospice.

"Previously, many PASSPORT consumers were reluctant to give up the vital services offered by PASSPORT in order to receive much-needed Hospice care.

Now we can offer these patients all of the services they need."

Sharon Bowman, community relations coordinator for the Area Agency on Aging District 7, agreed.

"Our consumers can now receive the additional attention needed so they may have the best quality of life during their end-of-life care.

We are grateful to be able to coordinate our services with those offered by Community Hospice."

For additional information on PASSPORT services and eligibility requirements, please contact the Area Agency on Aging District 7, Inc. at 1-800-582-7277.

To make a referral or obtain more information about Community Hospice, please call 1-800-926-6184.