What is Hospice Care?

Hospice is medical care for people who are expected to live six months or less. It is provided primarily where a person lives — at home or in a nursing home or community living arrangement — so the patient can be near family, friends, pets, and valued possessions. 

Hospice care is provided by an interdisciplinary team of professionals trained to address the patient’s medical, physical, spiritual, and psychosocial needs. The team focuses on the person, not the illness, as they coordinate patient care, clarify the goals of care, and foster communication. 

Members of the hospice team visit the patient periodically. Hospice providers are available around the clock to respond to patient or caregiver concerns. 

The team also supports family members and other close caregivers. Hospice provides bereavement care for the patient’s family and caregivers during the illness and for more than a year after their loved one’s death.

Importantly, hospice care is a covered benefit for anyone enrolled in Medicare or Medicare Advantage. This specialty care also is covered at varying levels by most healthcare insurers and, in almost every state, by Medicaid. Read more about paying for hospice care.