Does Humana cover hospice or palliative care?
Short answer
Insurance question
Yes — for Humana Medicare Advantage members, hospice care is covered through Original Medicare Part A (not the MA plan itself). Two doctors must certify a terminal illness with a life expectancy of six months or less. Palliative care outside hospice is covered through the MA plan. Commercial plan coverage varies.
This is an independent research summary, not official coverage information. Your plan is the final word.
Key facts
Medicare hospice benefit (Part A): covers comfort care for terminal illness with life expectancy of 6 months or less — $0 for most services, small copay for some outpatient symptom drugs.
Medicare.gov — Hospice care coverage (including inpatient respite care).
All Medicare Advantage members — including Humana MA — receive hospice through Original Medicare Part A, not through the MA plan.
Palliative care can be provided alongside curative treatment and is covered under MA plans to the extent Original Medicare covers it.
Medicare.gov — Hospice care coverage (comfort/palliative care for a terminal illness).
Here's the nuance
A one-liner rarely tells the whole story. This is the honest detail behind the short answer above.
For Humana Medicare Advantage members, one of the most important things to understand about hospice is that it is provided through Original Medicare Part A — not through the Humana Medicare Advantage plan. This means that even if you are enrolled in a Humana MA plan, when you elect hospice care, you temporarily leave the MA plan's management for covered hospice services and those benefits are administered directly through Medicare's hospice benefit. This arrangement is required by federal law and applies to all Medicare Advantage plans, including Humana's.
To qualify for the Medicare hospice benefit, two physicians (including the hospice medical director) must certify that the patient has a terminal illness with a life expectancy of six months or less if the illness runs its natural course, and the patient must agree to forgo curative treatment in favor of comfort care. Under Medicare's hospice benefit, covered services include nursing visits, physician services related to the terminal diagnosis, medications for symptom relief (with a small copay for some outpatient drugs), counseling, aide services, and inpatient respite care. There is no cost for most covered hospice services — though there may be a small copay for certain outpatient symptom-relief medications and a small coinsurance for inpatient respite care.
Palliative care — comfort-focused care that can be provided alongside curative treatment, before hospice is appropriate — is covered under Humana Medicare Advantage plans to the extent that Original Medicare (Parts A and B) covers it. This includes physician services, symptom management, and care coordination. Palliative care services not covered by Original Medicare may or may not be added as supplemental benefits by specific Humana MA plans.
For Humana commercial plan members, hospice and palliative care coverage depends on your specific plan and benefits package. Many employer-sponsored and marketplace plans include hospice as a covered benefit; the exact terms, prior authorization requirements, and cost-sharing should be confirmed in your plan's Summary of Benefits. Call Humana Member Services for your plan's specific coverage details.
The key points
The handful of things that decide the answer — skim these if you only read one section.
Humana MA members receive hospice through Original Medicare Part A
By federal law, Medicare Advantage plan members who elect the hospice benefit receive it through Original Medicare Part A — not through their Humana MA plan. This is true of all MA plans, not just Humana.
Two physicians must certify terminal illness with life expectancy of 6 months or less
Medicare's hospice benefit requires certification by two physicians that the patient has a terminal prognosis of six months or less if the illness follows its natural course. The patient also elects comfort care over curative treatment.
Most covered hospice services have $0 cost-sharing
Medicare's hospice benefit covers nursing, medications, counseling, and aide services with minimal to no cost-sharing. A small copay may apply to some outpatient symptom-relief drugs, and a small coinsurance may apply to inpatient respite stays.
Palliative care (before hospice) is covered under MA plans
Humana Medicare Advantage plans must cover palliative care services that Original Medicare covers. This includes physician-led symptom management and care coordination alongside ongoing curative treatment.
Commercial plan coverage requires plan-specific verification
For Humana employer or marketplace commercial plans, hospice and palliative care coverage terms vary. Check your Summary of Benefits or contact Member Services to confirm what your specific plan covers.
Confirm before you rely on this
Coverage varies by plan — this is not official
Coverage rules, benefit tiers, and medical-necessity criteria change often and differ by plan type, state, employer, and your specific policy. This page is a general, independent research summary — it is not official information from any insurer, not a benefits determination, and not financial or insurance advice.
Verify your exact coverage by calling the member number on your insurance card or checking your plan documents before you rely on any answer here.
Frequently Asked Questions
For Humana Medicare Advantage members, hospice enrollment does not go through Humana — it goes through Medicare directly. You work with a Medicare-certified hospice provider, and two physicians certify your terminal diagnosis. The hospice provider then submits the election to Medicare. Humana Member Services can help clarify how your specific MA plan coordinates with Medicare during the hospice period, including coverage for conditions unrelated to the terminal diagnosis.
Electing Medicare hospice means choosing to receive comfort-focused care over curative treatment for the terminal illness. However, you can still receive treatment and coverage for conditions unrelated to your terminal diagnosis through your Humana plan. You can also revoke the hospice election at any time if you decide to resume curative treatment. Humana Member Services can explain how coverage for non-terminal conditions is managed during a hospice period.
Yes. Palliative care — which focuses on symptom relief and quality of life and can occur alongside curative treatment — is covered under Humana Medicare Advantage plans to the same extent as Original Medicare. Physician-led palliative care visits, symptom management, and care coordination are included. Specific additional palliative support services beyond Medicare's scope may be available as supplemental benefits on some Humana MA plans. Check your Summary of Benefits.
Because hospice benefits for MA members are administered through Original Medicare Part A, disputes about hospice coverage should generally be directed to Medicare rather than Humana. If you believe a service that should be covered under the Medicare hospice benefit is being denied, contact your hospice provider and Medicare directly. For palliative care services denied by Humana, you have the right to file a grievance or appeal through Humana's standard appeals process.
Reviewed by
Curex Editorial TeamReviewed for accuracy
Last reviewed July 2026
Related Articles
Does UnitedHealthcare cover hospice or palliative care?
UHC plans generally cover hospice and palliative care. UHC Medicare Advantage members access hospice through Original Medicare Part A, not their MA plan.
Read moreDoes Blue Cross Blue Shield cover hospice or palliative care?
BCBS plans generally cover hospice and palliative care. Medicare Advantage BCBS members access hospice through Original Medicare Part A, not the MA plan.
Read moreDoes Kaiser Permanente cover hospice or palliative care?
Yes — Kaiser covers hospice under Medicare Part A and palliative care as a standard benefit. Learn what each covers and how to access these services.
Read moreDoes Anthem cover hospice or palliative care?
Anthem MA members get hospice through Original Medicare Part A. Commercial plan coverage varies. Here's what to know and how to confirm with your plan.
Read moreDoes Aetna cover hospice or palliative care?
Yes — Aetna covers hospice. Medicare Advantage members use Part A at $0. Commercial plan benefits vary. Palliative care coverage differs by plan.
Read moreDoes Humana cover vaccinations and immunizations?
Yes — ACA Humana plans cover ACIP vaccines at $0 in-network, no deductible. Medicare Advantage members get most vaccines at $0 under Part B or Part D.
Read moreYour plan has the final say
The surest way to know what's covered is to ask the source. Call the member number on your insurance card or sign in to your plan portal, and have the service or medication name ready — a quick call beats guessing.
This page is independent research, not a benefits determination — your insurer's answer is the one that counts.
This content is for general informational purposes only. It is not official coverage information, a benefits determination, or financial or insurance advice. Coverage rules, benefit tiers, and medical-necessity criteria change often and vary by plan, state, and effective date — always verify your specific benefits directly with your insurer before making any decision.
Questions about Curex itself?
Straight answers about the company, the evidence, what patients report, and what it costs — including the parts that are not flattering.