Myths About Hospice Care
Don’t let common myths about hospice lead to unused benefits.
Hospice care is often delayed unnecessarily due to misunderstanding or misinformation about benefits. Why would you choose less care when you may be eligible for more? In-home hospice can mean more time to focus on the people and activities that matter.
Choosing hospice is a shift in the goals of care toward quality of life and added support. Choosing hospice care sooner means more time to fully utilize the benefits that you may be entitled to receive.
It is a common misconception that hospice care at home is only for patients who have reached a stage of extreme debilitation. However, hospice care is for anyone with a prognosis of 6 months or less if the illness follows its normal course and may be extended beyond 6 months if the patient continues to meet eligibility criteria.
Adding hospice services actually means more care, at a time when you need it most.
- More care centered around personal goals
- More focus on minimizing disruption to normal daily activities
- More time to focus on the people & things that matter most
- More resources to ease the load for your loved ones
The Medicare hospice benefit includes services, supplies, equipment, medication and support at no additional cost or co-pay.
The emphasis of hospice is to help you maintain your normal activities. Homebound status is not a requirement for hospice eligibility.
Hospice patients may discontinue hospice care at any time, for any reason. It is your right to make decisions about your care!
Medications needed for pain, symptom and disease management related to the terminal diagnosis and related conditions are covered by the hospice benefit. The hospice team will work with you and your physician to review medications to ensure maximum pain and symptom management is achieved.
Hospice care is tailored to each patient’s personal goals with a focus on minimizing disruption to normal activities.
Hospice care is delivered wherever a patient calls home. This may be your home or place of residence, an assisted living community or a skilled nursing facility.
Hospice care is for anyone that meets eligibility and includes any diagnosis which aligns with a life-limiting prognosis of 6 months or less.
Electing the hospice benefit does not change a patient’s right to choose their primary physician.
Hospice care is hands-on end-of-life care to control symptoms and provide enhanced quality of life. Hospice is based on prognosis and excludes curative treatment.
Palliative care utilizes a nurse practitioner as a consultative liaison with the patient’s other healthcare providers. Palliative care is focused on relieving uncontrolled symptoms for any stage of illness and may be provided alongside curative treatment.
Hospice is a benefit that is typically paid for in full by Medicare or other insurance providers. It is an entitlement that offers added support, equipment and care for eligible patients.
