Palliative Care - Questions and Answers

National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization

Palliative Care - Questions and Answers

Question: Who can receive this care?
Palliative Care
Anyone with a serious illness, regardless of life expectancy, can receive palliative care.
Hospice Care
Someone with an illness with a life expectancy measured in months not years.

Question: Can I continue to receive treatments to cure my illness?
Palliative Care
You may receive palliative care and curative care at the same time.
Hospice Care
Treatments and medicines aimed at relieving symptoms are provided by hospice.

Question: Does Medicare pay?
Palliative Care
Some treatments and medications may be covered.
Hospice Care
Medicare pays all charges related to hospice.

Question: Does Medicaid pay?
Palliative Care
Some treatments and medications may be covered.
Hospice Care
In 47 states, Medicaid pays all charges related to hospice.

Question: Does private insurance pay?
Palliative Care
Some treatments and medications may be covered.
Hospice Care
Most insurance plans have a hospice benefit.

Question: Is this a package deal?
Palliative Care
No, there is no 'palliative care' package. The services are flexible and based on the patient's needs.
Hospice Care
Medicare and Medicaid hospice benefits are package deals.

Question: How long can I receive care?
Palliative Care
This will depend upon your care needs, and the coverage you have through Medicare, Medicaid or private insurance.
Hospice Care
As long as you meet the hospice's criteria of an illness with a life expectancy of months not years.

Question: What organization provides these services?
Palliative Care
• Hospitals
• Hospices
• Nursing Facilities
• Healthcare Clinics
Hospice Care
• Hospice organizations
• Hospice programs based out of a hospital
• Other healthcare organizations

Question: Where are services provided?
Palliative Care
• Home
• Assisted living facility
• Nursing facility
• Hospital
Hospice Care
• Usually, wherever the patient resides, in their home, assisted living facility, nursing facility, or hospital.
• Some hospices have facilities where people can live, like a hospice residence, or receive care for short-term reasons, such as acute pain or symptom management.

Question: Who provides these services?
Palliative Care
It varies. However usually there is a team including doctors, nurses, social workers and chaplains, similar to the hospice team.
Hospice Care
A team ? doctor, nurse, social worker, chaplain, volunteer, home health aide and others.