The focus of hospice is on comfort, dignity, and quality of life through end of life, with a team addressing the medical, physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of the patient. The hospice team supports and guides the patient’s family or caregiver, and is provided wherever the patient calls home.

Hospice clinicians are committed to bringing pain under control as quickly as possible. Pain management, a cornerstone of hospice care, helps both the patients and the caregivers.

Hospice is open to people of all ages, including children. While approximately two out of three hospice patients are over the age of 65, hospice care is available at any time of life.

Hospice staff are often present at a patient’s death and are closely involved as death approaches. One of hospice’s greatest gifts is helping the patient and his or her loved ones understand the dying process and know what to expect.

Sometimes the hospice team will recommend short-term inpatient or respite care. Respite care offers patient care for a few days in a nursing home, skilled nursing facility, or hospital so the patient’s family member, the primary caregiver, can rest or take a break.

The costs of hospice care are generally covered under Medicare. The Medicare Hospice Benefit covers a range of medical and supportive services that are deemed “reasonable and necessary.” Most state Medicaid programs offer hospice coverage, as do most private health insurance plans.

Palliative care is another specialized medical care for people with serious illnesses. Different from hospice, it focuses on providing patients with a coordinated plan to manage a serious illness. That includes symptom relief, curative interventions, pain and stress management, and a better understanding of the course of the disease and the prognosis. It’s appropriate at any stage of a serious illness. The palliative care team will help the patient and family establish goals of care to improve the quality of life for both the patient and the family

The core palliative team includes a physician, nurse, and social worker, as well as other specialists such as pharmacists, nutritionists, and chaplains.

The cost of palliative care varies based on the patient’s medical coverage. Since palliative care can be both inpatient and outpatient, it is important to ask questions to determine what is or is not covered by your insurance.

Learn more about Palliative Care at GetPalliativeCare.org.

If your doctor has not brought it up, start by asking your doctor about your options. You have a choice about the kind of care you receive, and it’s important to express your wishes.  The conversation about palliative or hospice care can be initiated by the patient, the patient’s family, or the attending physician.

Once my doctor and I have made a decision, what happens next?

• Your doctor will make the referral to hospice or palliative care. There are different providers, so ask questions about which service will be best for you.
• The hospice or palliative team will discuss your medical history, current physical symptoms, and life expectancy with the referring physician.
• After gathering the important medical information, a team member will meet with you, the patient, and your family to discuss the care philosophy, available services, and expectations.

If the doctor is unable to discuss hospice care, or if there is no attending physician available, families or patients can begin a self-referral process through a hospice provider. For example, a patient or family can contact a hospice that serves the patient’s geographic area, describe the situation, including medical history and condition, and ask for guidance.

There are close to 5,000 Hospices across the US, located in every state and serving all but the most isolated communities. It’s important to know who your local providers are. We recommend using the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization Find a Provider tool to search easily throughout the United States. Use this document to help you prepare to ask questions about what is important to you:  Questions to Ask When Choosing Hospice.

Hospice care is for people with an anticipated life expectancy of 6 months or less. However, the length of service varies by individual and some patients live longer than 6 months. Open communication with your doctor and the hospice team will ensure you get the care you need for as long as needed.