When does end of life begin: Hospice under scrutiny

February 6, 2013

For the vast majority of patients, hospice is paid for by Medicare. In 2010, of all the people who died and received Medicare benefits, 44 percent chose hospice, double the number in the past decade. But while the number of hospice patients doubled, the cost quadrupled. That divergence has led the federal government to increase scrutiny of hospice providers — most notably San Diego Hospice, the largest in the state — by questioning the eligibility of those accepted into care. (KPBS)