What is hospice care?

Hospice is for people who are near the end of their life. It provides treatment to relieve symptoms. The goal is to keep you comfortable, not to try to cure your disease. Hospice care does not speed up or lengthen dying. It focuses on easing pain and other symptoms.

Hospice care also offers emotional help and spiritual support when you are dying. And it helps caregivers manage the practical details and emotional challenges of caring for someone who is dying.

Some people think that starting hospice is a last resort, that it means they're giving up on life. Some think that hospice means a lower level of medical care. But hospice is simply a type of care that focuses on the quality of your life instead of on continuing with treatment to prolong your life.

The goal of hospice is to keep you as comfortable as possible during the time you have left. You will get medical care to provide comfort rather than to prolong life. Hospice workers will keep you as alert and pain-free as they can.

For example, chemotherapy may no longer be used to cure your cancer. But you might get it to reduce pain.

People who want to live as long as possible by any medical means are not a good match for hospice care.

Another goal of hospice is to give you as much control and dignity as possible during the time you have left. For example, most people in hospice can choose to die at home, surrounded by family and friends, rather than in a hospital, hooked up to one or more machines.

You will need to fill out some forms for hospice care. These include:

• An advance directive. This usually includes:
  • A medical power of attorney.
  • A living will.
  These forms may be called something else in your state.
• Insurance forms. Hospice services are covered by Medicare and by Medicaid in most states. They are also covered by many private insurance plans. Check with your employer or your health insurance plan about the services your plan covers. Many hospices will also help people who can't pay.
• Other legal documents related to finances, property, and other matters.

After you start the hospice program, you will want to get all billing arrangements in writing. This includes costs and payment arrangements. Be sure to keep a copy.

Be sure that your family knows:

• What services you are to receive from the program.
• What the schedule is.
• The names and phone numbers of important contact people at the hospice.

Usually, two things must be true for you to be eligible for hospice care:

• Your illness can't be cured. This is called a terminal illness.
• Your doctor expects that you'll live 6 months or less if your illness runs its normal course. You'll likely need a form signed by your primary doctor and the medical director or physician member of a hospice team.

You don't need to be confined to a bed or in a hospital to benefit from hospice.

It can be hard for doctors to know how long someone will live. Some people live longer than expected. If you do live longer than 6 months, you can keep having hospice care. If your illness gets better, you can stop getting hospice care. You may no longer qualify for it.

Hospice care is generally paid for by Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance. Care may also be available to those who can't pay.