Hospice care is a type of care used when a cure is not likely or when people are in the last months of life. It is used by your health care team to provide palliative care, or supportive care, to help prevent or relieve cancer symptoms. It also helps with treatment side effects. You can receive this care any time during cancer treatment. This includes when you are getting treatment for a cure. Hospice care prevents and relieves symptoms and helps you live the rest of your life as well as possible. Show
Does hospice care mean I have a certain time to live?Not necessarily. This idea comes from Medicare, the U.S. government organization that pays for much of older Americans’ health care. Medicare pays for hospice care if your doctor believes you have 6 months or less to live, the cancer does not respond to treatment, and your medical condition does not improve. But no one knows for sure how long you will live. If you receive hospice care and live longer than 6 months, you can continue to get hospice care as long as you still meet the Medicare requirements. The information below tells you more about Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance payments for hospice. Who qualifies for hospice care?You or your loved one may get hospice care if:
Get the facts about hospice care from the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization. How does hospice care help?Hospice care helps you and your family cope with the change from treating the cancer to living life as fully as possible through your final days. Hospice care may include:
The hospice care team often give this care in a person’s own home. Or, if needed, a person might go to a special hospice center or other health care center. Some people have the following concerns about hospice:
The information below talks about each concern to help relieve your worries. You can also talk with your health care team. What if I get better?If you get better, you may stop hospice care. This could happen if the cancer improves or goes into remission. Remission is when the cancer cannot be detected in the body and there are no symptoms. If the cancer improves, you and your doctor might start treatment again for a cure. This is very uncommon. But if treatment is started, the goal is usually to relieve symptoms that the cancer is causing. In most cases, it would be unlikely for the treatment to lead to a cure. If the cancer goes into remission, your doctor will check regularly for signs of cancer to make sure that it stays in remission. Is hospice care as good as treatment?Most people hope for a cure when first diagnosed with cancer. Hospice care is different. The goal is to help you feel better when a cure is not possible. This can often make people feel much better when harsh treatments are stopped and symptoms are treated more aggressively. Most people feel better and can live longer when they start hospice care earlier. Hospice care can help people achieve their personal goals, such as spending less time at the doctor’s office and more time with loved ones. There are national standards for hospice care, just like there are for hospitals, doctors, and nurses. You can make sure that you choose hospice care that meets high standards. Do people die sooner in hospice?This idea is understandable, because stopping treatment for a cure might seem like giving up. But cancer treatment is hard on your body. People in hospice care often live longer than people with advanced cancer getting regular cancer treatments. This might be because they feel more comfortable without the treatment side effects. So, getting hospice care does not necessarily mean dying sooner. It may even help you live longer. Can you control your hospice care and life plans?Yes. You, your hospice care team, and your health care team create your care plan together. The plan shows what you want. This includes staying comfortable, eating and drinking, and doing activities. You and your health care team can update the plan over time based on how you are feeling and how your goals change. The hospice care teamYour hospice care team is a group of health care professionals who support you and your loved ones. You will meet regularly with the team to talk about your health and other needs. Then the team will work with you and your family to make or update your care plan. Working together helps you get the care you want and need. Besides these meetings, you can call your hospice team any time. Someone is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Your hospice team might include:
Where you get hospice careYou usually get hospice care at home. Other options are a care center, such as a nursing home, or a special hospice center. Some people even have hospice care in a hospital. The information below tells you more about hospice at home and in other places.
Choosing a place for hospice careConsider these questions when deciding on a hospice center:
Finding hospice careWhen you decide to have hospice care, ask for help finding care. You can ask:
Questions to ask the hospice teamBefore you decide on a hospice team, you might want to ask these questions:
Medicare and hospiceMedicare is health insurance from the U.S. government. It is for people 65 and older. It also covers some people with disabilities. Medicare will pay the costs of hospice in a program they approve. Your doctor needs to sign a form saying you are likely to live 6 months or less if your medical condition runs its natural course. But hospice care can continue if you live longer. Hospice services that Medicare coversMedicare pays for the services below, usually in your home:
Medicare does not cover:
Learn more about the Medicare hospice benefit. Medicaid and hospiceMedicaid is health insurance from your state. It pays the cost of care for people with low incomes and certain disabilities. It also pays for some people in families with young children and some older people. Learn more about the Medicaid hospice benefit. Private health insurance and hospiceMost private health insurance plans cover hospice services. But policy benefits are different for each insurer. Talk with a hospital social worker, who can help you understand your options. Related ResourcesCare Through the Final Days Advanced Cancer Care Planning Hiring Home Care Services More InformationAmerican Hospice Foundation International Association for Hospice & Palliative Care National Cancer Institute: Hospice Care National Association for Home Care & Hospice National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization |