Hospice, Inc.

Metropolitan

    
Guide to Eligibility  Diagnoses   Q & A
Huntington's Disease
© 2004 Metropolitan Hospice Inc. All rights reserved

The patient has Endstage Huntington's Disease with:

Stage VII or beyond according to the Functional Assessment Staging Scale with all of the following:
  • Inability to ambulate without assistance
  • Inability to dress without assistance
  • Urinary and fecal incontinence, intermittent or constant
  • No consistent meaningful verbal communication
AND
Has at least one (1) of the following conditions within the past twelve (12) months
  • Aspiration pneumonia
  • Pyelonephritis or other upper urinary tract infection
  • Septicemia
  • Decubitus Ulcers, Multiple, Stage 3-4
  • Toxoplasmosis unresponsive to therapy
  • Fever, recurrent after antibiotics
  • Inability to maintain sufficient fluid and calorie intake with one or more of the following during the preceding twelve (12) months:
    • 10% weight loss during the previous six (6) months
    • A serum albumin < 2.5 gm/dl
    • Significant dysphagia with associated aspiration measured objectively (e.g., swallowing test or a history of choking or gagging with feeding)
      In the absence of one or more of the above findings, rapid decline or comorbidities may also support eligibility for hospice care.