FAQs

Hospice care is a type of medical care that focuses on a patient’s comfort, care, symptom management, and quality of life.

Patients qualify for hospice care once a physician has deemed that they have a life expectancy of six months or less if their disease/illness runs its natural course. At this time, most patients decide to no longer pursue treatment and instead, focus on their quality of life.

Any individual with a terminal illness whose doctor has deemed that they have a life expectancy of six months or less may receive hospice care.

If the patient reaches six months of hospice care, the hospice’s medical director may extend their hospice benefit if the patient has continued to decline.

Patients who have elected to sign onto hospice care may not receive curative treatment. However, the patient will receive pain and symptom management, as well as management for any diagnoses related to their terminal prognosis.

Typically, hospice is considered at the point in which the treatment is no longer beneficial and the risks outweigh the benefits, or when the patient/family wants to focus on quality of life.

With the hospice care benefit, there are many services that are provided to the patient and their family. These services include:

• Pain and symptom management
• 24-hour on-call service
• In-person visits
• Durable medical equipment (DME)
• Medications related to terminal prognosis/medication management
• Inpatient care if needed
• Continuous care if needed
• Respite care
• Volunteer services
• Spiritual care
• Bereavement and grief support services
• Continuity of care

Hospice care is provided wherever the patient calls their home.

Hospice care can be provided in most settings, including:

• A patient’s home
• Hospice inpatient facility
• Nursing home
• Assisted living facility
• Hospital (inpatient levels of care only)

Hospice care is provided by an interdisciplinary team consisting of hospice physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, social workers, chaplains, trained volunteers, home health aides, and other specialized professionals if needed.

Hospice care is covered at 100% by Medicare Part A and Medicaid. Many private insurances may also cover hospice care or at least parts of it. If someone does not have Medicare or Medicaid, it is important to look at your benefits overview to see what percentage of hospice care is covered by your private insurance.

Like with other services, some treatments and medications may not be covered if the hospice medical director does not certify them as being related to the patient’s terminal prognosis.