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.

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