[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 42, Volume 2]
[Revised as of October 1, 2004]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 42CFR418.3]

[Page 826-827]
 
                         TITLE 42--PUBLIC HEALTH
 
                    CHAPTER IV--CENTERS FOR MEDICARE
                          & MEDICAID SERVICES,
                        DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
                             HUMAN SERVICES
 
PART 418_HOSPICE CARE--Table of Contents
 
               Subpart A_General Provision and Definitions
 
Sec. 418.3  Definitions.

    For purposes of this part--
    Attending physician means a physician who--
    (a) Is a doctor of medicine or osteopathy; and
    (b) Is identified by the individual, at the time he or she elects to 
receive hospice care, as having the most significant role in the 
determination and delivery of the individual's medical care.
    Bereavement counseling means counseling services provided to the 
individual's family after the individual's death.
    Cap period means the twelve-month period ending October 31 used in 
the application of the cap on overall hospice reimbursement specified in 
Sec. 418.309.
    Employee means an employee (defined by section 210(j) of the Act) of 
the hospice or, if the hospice is a subdivision of an agency or 
organization, an employee of the agency or organization who is 
appropriately trained and assigned to the hospice unit. ``Employee'' 
also refers to a volunteer under the jurisdiction of the hospice.
    Hospice means a public agency or private organization or subdivision 
of either of these that--is primarily engaged in providing care to 
terminally ill individuals.
    Physician means physician as defined in Sec. 410.20 of this 
chapter.
    Representative means an individual who has been authorized under 
State law to terminate medical care or to elect or revoke the election 
of hospice care on behalf of a terminally ill individual who is mentally 
or physically incapacitated.

[[Page 827]]

    Social worker means a person who has at least a bachelor's degree 
from a school accredited or approved by the Council on Social Work 
Education.
    Terminally ill means that the individual has a medical prognosis 
that his or her life expectancy is 6 months or less if the illness runs 
its normal course.

[48 FR 56026, Dec. 16, 1983, as amended at 52 FR 4499, Feb. 12, 1987; 50 
FR 50834, Dec. 11, 1990]