Bereavement Professional

  • 1.  Fee for services/Sliding Fee Scale

    Posted 10-15-2018 08:11 PM
    We are looking at changing our model slightly to offer 6 complimentary counseling sessions and then people could continue with grief counseling on a fee for services basis.  We are going to have an income based sliding fee scale and I wondered if anyone would be willing to share with me the fee scale that you might use for your hospice so that we might have something to compare.  Thanks in advance for any info.

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    JulieThomas
    Halcyon Hospice & Palliative Care
    Director of Grief Support
    Boulder CO
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  • 2.  RE: Fee for services/Sliding Fee Scale

    Posted 10-15-2018 09:58 PM
    Julie,

    That is an approach I have heard some hospices use in order to maintain their community services sustainably, although there's no listing that denotes which have or still do. None come to mind for me right now. Perhaps some will step forward whom are willing to share! 

    While our hospice does not offer this, in the past when a hospice agency I have worked for was interested in exploring this, I did find reaching out to local mental agencies helpful as many of the county based and not-for-profit groups in my same community were willing to share their scales. That information was a great way to get a sense of a community standard. This was helpful while we considered whether or not to pursue that approach, knowing if we did choose to do so, that we would be in alignment with what locally was reflective of our community's needs/demographics versus those of other groups throughout the nation that were very different socioeconomically. Best of luck in your exploration of this! 

    Joelle Osterhaus, MSW, LCSW, LICSW, ACHP-SW
    Continuing Care Psychosocial Services Manager

    Kaiser Permanente
    Continuing Care Services
    2701 NW Vaughn St., Ste. 140
    Portland, OR 97210-5344
    Hospice Reception: (503) 499-5200

    Cell Phone: (503) 312-0819
    Fax: (503) 499-5213

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    kp.org/thrive

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    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Fee for services/Sliding Fee Scale

    Posted 10-16-2018 11:23 AM
    ​Hi Julie!
        Diane Snyder-Cowan can confirm this for us but it is my understanding that we can not ever charge for hospice bereaved individuals, only community bereaved. The Medicare CoP's require us to provide what is needed for hospice bereaved individuals.

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    Patti Anewalt, Director
    Pathways Center for Grief & Loss
    Hospice & Community Care
    Mount Joy, PA
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    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Fee for services/Sliding Fee Scale

    Posted 10-17-2018 09:00 AM
    ​Hi -
    The Conditions of Participation state ....
    418.204 (c)
    Bereavement counseling is a required hospice service but it is not reimbursable.

    We cannot charge for bereaved hospice families. 

    Diane

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    Diane Snyder Cowan, CHPCA,MA,MT-BC
    Director of Western Reserve Grief Services
    Hospice of the Western Reserve, Inc
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    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Fee for services/Sliding Fee Scale

    Posted 10-16-2018 01:22 PM
    ​Our counselors are all licensed or pre-licensed therapists, and we offer rather extensive community services, and thus, request a fee from our community counseling clients. It is a sliding scale, based on annual family income. (We do not require proof of income; we operate on the honor system.) We have five income ranges, and the corresponding fees range from $20 to $60 per session--approximately what a copay would be, if someone were using insurance to see a professional out in the community. However, if someone is unable to pay the lowest fee, we accept whatever they can pay--even if it's $5.00 per session--and if they are unable to pay anything, we happily waive the fee. We never turn anyone away due to inability to pay. And again, this is for community clients, not hospice families.
    Hope that helps!

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    Paula K. Bunn
    The Elizabeth Hospice
    Bereavement Manager, Grief Counseling Services
    LMFT, FT
    Escondido, California
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    Original Message


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