Understood Care
When you or someone you love is facing a serious illness, understanding hospice can feel overwhelming. In our short video, Amanda from Understood Care explains that you have options. Palliative care focuses on comfort and quality of life at any stage of a serious illness. Hospice care focuses on comfort and quality of life when a clinician believes life expectancy is about six months or less if the illness follows its usual course. Teams can visit you regularly, teach families what to expect, coordinate medicines and equipment, and remain available by phone at all hours. Hospice can sound scary at first, yet many families report that the support for both patients and loved ones is remarkable and a relief once it is in place.
Both hospice and palliative care are centered on comfort, symptom control, and dignity. Palliative care can be provided at any time during a serious illness and can be given alongside treatments aimed at cure or control. Hospice is chosen when the focus shifts entirely to comfort and quality of life and curative treatments for the terminal condition are stopped. A hospice team includes doctors, nurses, social workers, spiritual care providers, home health aides, and trained volunteers who support you and your family. Someone from the hospice team is usually available by phone twenty four hours a day, seven days a week.
Hospice care is provided where you live whenever possible, including a private home, assisted living, or nursing facility, and when needed in an inpatient hospice unit or hospital. A hospice team visits regularly and adjusts the plan to your needs. If a short hospital stay is required, the hospice team arranges the admission so your costs are protected under the hospice benefit.
You qualify for the Medicare hospice benefit if you have Medicare Part A and all of the following apply
If you qualify, you receive two initial ninety day benefit periods followed by an unlimited number of sixty day periods, as long as a hospice clinician recertifies that you remain eligible. You may change hospice providers once every benefit period if needed.
Most people pay nothing for covered hospice services when they choose a Medicare approved hospice. You may have a small copay of up to five dollars for outpatient medicines used for pain or symptom relief, and you may pay five percent of the Medicare approved amount for short term inpatient respite care for caregivers. Room and board are not covered if you live in a facility unless the hospice team arranges a covered short inpatient stay for symptom management or respite. Services unrelated to your terminal illness continue to be covered by Medicare with usual deductibles and coinsurance.
When you elect hospice, Original Medicare covers your hospice services even if you stay enrolled in your Medicare Advantage plan. Your plan can still cover unrelated services and extra benefits that are not part of your terminal condition.
Your hospice plan of care is built around your goals and symptoms. Common services include
These services focus on comfort, safety, and quality of life for you and your loved ones.
Hospice services adjust as needs change. Medicare recognizes four levels of care
Your team recommends the level that fits your situation and can move between levels as needed.
Hospice supports the entire family. Counseling and education help caregivers learn safe care techniques, prepare for changes, and make decisions. After a death, hospices must offer bereavement services for up to one year for family and others named in the plan of care. Support may include check in calls, grief groups, mailings, referrals, and memorial events.
If you are unsure whether palliative care or hospice is right for now, an advocate can help you think through your goals, coordinate with your clinicians, and set up services. We can
Explore caregiver support at https://understoodcare.com/healthcare-info/caregiver-support
See what care coordination includes at https://understoodcare.com/care-types/care-coordination
Review costs and coverage at https://understoodcare.com/pricing
Learn how advocates assist day to day at https://understoodcare.com/healthcare-info/how-our-care-team-assists-you
Step 1. Talk with your current clinician about goals and symptom control. Ask if palliative care or hospice might fit your needs now.
Step 2. Call us to discuss what you want most in the weeks and months ahead. We will help you prepare for the conversation and gather needed records.
Step 3. If hospice is appropriate, we help you choose a Medicare approved hospice that matches your values and location, schedule the start of care, and coordinate equipment delivery.
Step 4. We stay with you, checking on symptom control, answering family questions, and coordinating updates across the team.
You can change hospice providers once per benefit period if the fit is not right. If your goals change, you can revoke hospice and return to your usual Medicare coverage, then re elect hospice later if needed. Services that are not related to your terminal condition can still be covered under Medicare with normal cost sharing. Your hospice team should arrange any needed inpatient stays so you do not face unexpected bills.
Medicare warns that fraud can occur. Only your doctors can certify hospice eligibility, and you should not be pressured to enroll or to accept gifts for signing up. If someone offers services that are not part of your hospice plan, call your hospice first or contact Medicare.
Hospice is comprehensive comfort focused care for people with terminal illnesses who choose relief of symptoms rather than treatment aimed at cure, with family support and twenty four hour phone access to the hospice team.
Palliative care can be provided at any time during a serious illness and can be given with curative treatments. Hospice begins when the plan is fully focused on comfort near the end of life.
Your hospice doctor and your regular doctor, if you have one, must certify that life expectancy is about six months or less if the illness runs its usual course. Eligibility is then reviewed at set intervals.
Covered services include clinician visits, nursing, home health aide support, medicines, supplies, and equipment related to your terminal condition, plus short term inpatient and respite care when needed. You may pay up to five dollars for certain outpatient medicines and five percent of the approved amount for inpatient respite care. Room and board are not covered when you live in a facility unless the hospice team arranges a short covered stay for symptom control or respite.
Routine home care, continuous home care during a crisis, general inpatient care for complex symptoms, and inpatient respite care to give caregivers a break. Your team moves between levels as needed.
Yes. When you elect hospice, Original Medicare pays for hospice services, and your Medicare Advantage plan can still cover unrelated services and any extra benefits, as long as you continue to pay plan premiums.
Yes. You can revoke hospice at any time if your goals change and you can re elect hospice later if you meet criteria. You can also change hospice providers once in each benefit period.
Hospices must make bereavement services available for up to one year to family and others named in the plan of care. Many programs provide support for about thirteen months.
We can prepare you for a goals of care discussion, set up palliative or hospice services, coordinate equipment and medicines, and support your family. Learn more at https://understoodcare.com/how-advocates-support
If you would like help comparing local hospice programs, coordinating a smooth start of care, or understanding costs before you enroll, we would be honored to help. Explore care coordination at https://understoodcare.com/care-types/care-coordination or connect with an advocate at https://understoodcare.com/how-advocates-support.
This content is educational and is not a substitute for medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider for personalized care.
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