Hospice
What hospice is, and what it is not
Hospice is care for a person with a terminal illness who has decided, with their doctors, to stop treatment meant to cure the illness and focus on feeling as well as possible for the time they have. The goal shifts from fighting the disease to managing pain, breathlessness, anxiety and the other symptoms that make the last months hard.
Hospice is not a place, and it is not giving up. Most hospice care happens in the patient's own home or in the facility where they already live. A nurse visits on a schedule, an aide helps with bathing, a social worker helps the family with paperwork and decisions, and a chaplain is there for anyone who wants one. The team is on call around the clock for the moments that can't wait until morning.
Hospice also does not mean someone has only days left. Medicare covers two 90-day benefit periods and then an unlimited number of 60-day periods, as long as a hospice doctor keeps recertifying that the illness is terminal. Some people improve enough to leave hospice, and a patient can stop hospice and return to regular treatment at any time.
What the hospice team provides
Pain and symptom control
Nurses who specialize in comfort care adjust medications as needs change, with on-call support day and night.
A full care team
A hospice doctor, nurses, aides, a social worker, a chaplain and trained volunteers, all coordinated in one plan of care.
Equipment and supplies
A hospital bed, wheelchair, oxygen and supplies related to the terminal illness are delivered to the home.
Medications for comfort
Drugs for pain and symptom relief related to the hospice diagnosis, with a copay of no more than $5 per prescription under Medicare.
Respite for caregivers
Short inpatient stays the hospice arranges so the family caregiver can rest, plus short inpatient care when symptoms can't be managed at home.
Grief support
Counseling and bereavement support for the family, before and after their loved one dies.
Signs it may be time to ask about hospice
- Weight loss and eating much less, even favorite foods
- Sleeping most of the day, or less and less able to get out of bed
- Three or more hospital or ER visits in the last six months
- Infections or wounds that keep coming back
- A doctor has said treatment is no longer working
- You find yourself asking, "Is this what they would want?"
How Grace With Care helps with hospice
We listen first
Tell us the diagnosis, where your loved one lives and what matters most to them. If you aren't sure they qualify yet, we can explain how a hospice evaluation works.
We find hospices that fit
We look for Medicare-certified hospices that serve their address, staff for after-hours needs and can start care quickly.
We stay with you
We help you compare options and set up the first conversation, then check in after care begins.
Questions to ask a hospice before you choose
Bring these on a call or a tour. A good provider will be glad you asked.
- How fast can someone come out for an evaluation, and how soon can care start?
- Who answers when we call at night, and how quickly can a nurse come to the house?
- How often will the nurse and aide visit each week?
- Do you offer continuous care at home during a crisis?
- Which inpatient facility do you use when symptoms can't be managed at home?
- What does bereavement support look like for our family, and for how long?
- How do you work with the staff if our loved one lives in a facility?
Hospice: common questions
Does choosing hospice mean giving up?
No. Hospice changes the goal from curing the illness to living as comfortably as possible. Many families say they wish they had called sooner, because symptoms were better controlled and they had more good days together.
Can my loved one stay at home on hospice?
Yes. Most hospice care is given where the person lives, including a private home, an assisted living community or a nursing home. The hospice team visits on a schedule and is on call 24 hours a day.
What does hospice cost with Medicare?
With Original Medicare, you pay $0 for hospice care from a Medicare-approved provider, up to $5 per prescription for pain and symptom drugs, and 5% of the Medicare-approved amount for inpatient respite care. Room and board in a facility is not covered.
What happens if my loved one lives longer than six months?
Hospice can continue. After two 90-day benefit periods, Medicare covers an unlimited number of 60-day periods as long as a hospice doctor or nurse practitioner recertifies, after a face-to-face visit, that the illness is still terminal.
Can we stop hospice?
Yes. A patient can leave hospice at any time and return to regular Medicare coverage for treatment, and can choose hospice again later if they qualify.
Can we change hospice companies?
Yes. Under Medicare you can change hospice providers once during each benefit period.
Resource hub
Guides that help with this decision
Other kinds of care we help families find
Sources
This page is general information, not medical, legal or financial advice. Coverage rules change; confirm details with the program or your plan. Last reviewed October 31, 2026.
