Medicare is governed largely by federal statutes and regulations. Of course, each state may have its own process of appealing a Medicare decision and these should be checked in each case. Because of the federal rules and regulations involved, the typical administrative law process is followed under Medicare.

What is hospice care? Hospice care is generally provided for terminally ill patients, and does not contemplate care for patients who are likely to recover from illnesses, regardless of severity. Hospice care generally involves the process of managing an illness and not curing an illness. The rules covering hospice care are detailed and also vary from state to state.