Does Medicare Cover Respite Care? (Plus Respite Grants)
Quick answer: Original Medicare covers inpatient respite care only as part of the hospice benefit, not as a stand-alone caregiver break for people who are not on hospice. Medicare's hospice booklet says that if the usual caregiver needs rest, the person can get inpatient respite care in a Medicare-approved facility (hospice inpatient facility, hospital or nursing home), arranged by the hospice provider, for up to 5 days each time, more than once but only on an occasional basis. You may pay 5% of the Medicare-approved amount for inpatient respite care. Outside hospice, look to state Lifespan Respite systems and the ARCH National Respite Locator rather than expecting Part A or Part B to pay for general respite. EzLift is not a Medicare-enrolled supplier. EzLift beds are not billed to Medicare, Medicaid or insurance.
What "respite care" means in Medicare hospice
In Medicare hospice, respite care is short-term inpatient care that gives the home caregiver a rest. It is one level of hospice care. It is not a weekly break benefit, and it is not coverage for a paid aide in your living room under Part B DME rules.
Medicare.gov's hospice care page says that if the hospice team determines you need short-term inpatient or respite care services that they arrange, Medicare will cover your stay in the facility. It also says you may pay 5% of the Medicare-approved amount for inpatient respite care (short-term care to help give caregivers a rest), and that the copayment cannot be more than the inpatient deductible amount. (Medicare.gov, Hospice care)
Does Medicare cover respite care if you are not on hospice?
The hospice respite rules above apply after someone elects the Medicare hospice benefit. Original Medicare does not use that same inpatient respite benefit as a general caregiver grant for people who are not on hospice. If the person is not on hospice, ask the plan, Medicaid waiver programs, VA benefits or state caregiver programs about other options. Do not assume Part A hospital insurance or Part B medical insurance will pay for a private respite stay just because a caregiver is tired.
Hospice inpatient respite rules (Medicare booklet)
CMS Product No. 02154, "Medicare Hospice Benefits," states:
If your usual caregiver (like a family member) needs rest, you can get inpatient respite care in a Medicare-approved facility (like a hospice inpatient facility, hospital, or nursing home). Your hospice provider will arrange this for you. You can stay up to 5 days each time you get respite care. You can get respite care more than once, but only on an occasional basis.
On coinsurance, the same booklet says you pay 5% of the Medicare-approved amount for inpatient respite care, with an example of $5 per day if Medicare approves $100 per day. (Medicare Hospice Benefits booklet, Product No. 02154)
Key limits caregivers should confirm with the hospice team:
- The hospice arranges the stay in an approved inpatient setting.
- Each respite stay is capped at up to 5 days.
- Repeat stays are allowed only on an occasional basis.
- Expect a 5% coinsurance for inpatient respite days, subject to the booklet's cap note.
Respite grants and state Lifespan Respite systems (ACL / ARCH)
Separate from Medicare hospice, the federal Lifespan Respite Care Program funds state systems that expand community-based respite for family caregivers of children and adults. ACL's program page says Congress enacted the program in 2006, that respite can be planned or emergency-based, and that since 2009 ACL has awarded competitive grants to eligible agencies in 39 states and the District of Columbia. In FY 2025, Congress appropriated $10 million for the program. (ACL, Lifespan Respite Care Program)
Those ACL dollars go to state agencies and partners. They are not a national form that pays an EzLift bed invoice. Families usually find local respite through state Lifespan Respite contacts, Area Agencies on Aging, disability networks or a respite locator.
ARCH National Respite Network & Resource Center hosts the Lifespan Respite Technical Assistance and Resource Center under ACL funding. ARCH states that since the program was first funded in 2009, ACL has funded thirty-eight states and the District of Columbia to establish or enhance statewide Lifespan Respite systems. ARCH also provides family caregiver resources and the National Respite Locator Service. (ARCH Lifespan Respite TARC; ARCH National Respite Locator Service)
Start with the locator and your state respite coalition or Lifespan Respite grantee contact. Ask what voucher, emergency or planned respite options exist in your county. Rules and funding change by state and year.
Planning a respite break at home
Even when Medicare hospice covers an inpatient respite stay, caregivers still need a handoff plan: medicines, mobility and who to call. Use our respite care booking and handover checklist. Related caregiver reading: caregiver burnout and how to choose a caregiver support group.
EzLift sells home sleep-to-stand and rotating lift beds for private purchase. That is not respite coverage. EzLift is not a Medicare-enrolled supplier. EzLift beds are not billed to Medicare, Medicaid or insurance. Product pages: EzLift Deluxe Sleep-to-Stand and Elevra Rotating.
| Path | Who it is for | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Medicare hospice inpatient respite | Person who has elected Medicare hospice | Hospice-arranged stay in an approved facility; up to 5 days per stay; occasional repeats; often 5% coinsurance |
| Original Medicare without hospice | Person not on hospice | Do not expect the hospice respite benefit; ask about other programs |
| ACL Lifespan Respite / ARCH locator | Family caregivers seeking community respite | State systems and local providers; funding and vouchers vary |
FAQ
Does Medicare cover respite care?
Yes under the hospice benefit as inpatient respite arranged by the hospice, up to 5 days per stay on an occasional basis. It is not a general Part B caregiver benefit for people who are not on hospice.
How many days of Medicare hospice respite can you get?
Medicare's hospice booklet says you can stay up to 5 days each time, and you can get respite more than once but only on an occasional basis. Confirm the plan of care with the hospice team.
What does Medicare hospice respite cost?
Medicare.gov and the hospice booklet describe a 5% coinsurance of the Medicare-approved amount for inpatient respite care, with a cap tied to the inpatient deductible amount on the coverage page.
Where can caregivers find respite grants?
Start with ACL's Lifespan Respite Care Program page and ARCH's National Respite Locator and state Lifespan Respite contacts. Those programs fund state systems; ask locally what vouchers or services are open now.
Sources
- Medicare.gov, Hospice care (inpatient/respite arrangement and 5% coinsurance note): https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/hospice-care
- CMS / Medicare.gov, "Medicare Hospice Benefits," Product No. 02154 (5-day inpatient respite wording and 5% example): https://www.medicare.gov/publications/02154-medicare-hospice-benefits.pdf
- Administration for Community Living, Lifespan Respite Care Program: https://acl.gov/programs/support-caregivers/lifespan-respite-care-program
- ARCH National Respite Network & Resource Center, Lifespan Respite TARC: https://archrespite.org/ta-center-for-respite/
- ARCH, National Respite Locator Service: https://archrespite.org/caregiver-resources/respitelocator/
Written by the EzLift Team, EzLift's organizational authorship team. Last reviewed November 7, 2026. This guide summarizes Medicare.gov hospice rules and ACL/ARCH public program pages; it is not insurance, legal or benefits advice. Confirm hospice respite with your hospice team and Medicare (1-800-MEDICARE). Confirm state respite options with your local program. EzLift is not a Medicare-enrolled supplier. EzLift beds are not billed to Medicare, Medicaid or insurance.