What are hospice care supplies
Hospice care supplies are the disposable medical products used during patient visits and daily care. They're separate from durable medical equipment like hospital beds and wheelchairs, which are handled through a contracted DME provider. Common hospice supplies include:
- Incontinence briefs, underpads, and perineal wipes.
- Wound dressings, gauze, ABD pads, and medical tape.
- Nitrile gloves, isolation gowns, and surgical masks.
- Oral care swabs, mouth moisturizer, and lip balm.
- Barrier creams and perineal wash.
- Catheter kits and drainage bags.
- Hand sanitizer and surface disinfectant wipes.
The hospice agency stocks these supplies and delivers them to the patient's home as part of the care plan. Under the Medicare hospice benefit, patients and families don't pay for any of it.
How hospice supplies are covered by Medicare
Medicare covers all medical supplies related to a patient's hospice diagnosis at no cost to the patient or family. But the way it works behind the scenes matters if you're the one buying the supplies.
Supplies vs. equipment
These two categories get lumped together, but they're handled differently.
Disposable supplies (briefs, gloves, dressings, gauze, mouth swabs, wipes) are stocked and provided by the hospice agency. The agency buys them, delivers them, and absorbs the cost.
Durable medical equipment (hospital beds, wheelchairs, oxygen concentrators, suction machines) is typically provided through a contracted DME supplier. The hospice coordinates delivery, but a separate vendor handles the equipment.
Kerae carries the disposable supply side. If you're looking for DME, your contracted equipment vendor is the right call.
How the per diem works
Medicare pays hospice agencies a flat daily rate per patient. For FY 2026, the routine home care rate is $230.83 per day (days 1-60) before wage index adjustments. Nursing, meds, and supplies all come out of that number. There's no separate line item for a case of briefs or a box of gauze.
That's why per-case pricing on disposable supplies matters. It's one of the few cost lines an agency can bring down without affecting patient care.
