For Families
Hospice and palliative care explained
The difference between hospice and palliative care, who qualifies, and where care happens.
- Palliative care focuses on comfort and quality of life at any stage of a serious illness, alongside treatment.
- Hospice is comfort-focused care when a doctor certifies a life expectancy of about 6 months or less if the illness runs its normal course, and the person chooses comfort care instead of curative treatment.
- Hospice can be provided at home, in assisted living, in a nursing home or in a hospice house.
- Medicare's hospice benefit covers the hospice team, medications and equipment related to the terminal illness; room and board in a facility is usually not covered.
- You can stop hospice at any time and return to regular Medicare coverage.
Questions to ask a hospice
- How quickly can you admit?
- How often will the nurse and aide visit?
- Who answers at night and on weekends?
- Do you offer respite and grief support for the family?
General information only, not medical, legal or financial advice. Programs and amounts change; confirm with the official source or a qualified professional.