Hospice Compare - Find a Hospice Agency

Hospice Compare

Hospice is a program to support and care for those patients who are terminally ill. The focus of hospice care is to provide comfort and quality of life and is usually provided where you live. When you choose hospice care, you decide you no longer want to cure your illness and/or your physician determines that cure efforts are not working.

You can get hospice care if you have Medicare Part A AND meet ALL of the following conditions:

Your hospice doctor & regular doctor or nurse practitioner certify that you are terminally ill AND

You accept palliative care instead of curing your illness AND

You sign a statement choosing hospice care instead of other Medicare covered treatments AND have a life expectancy of 6 months or less

Hospice staff should discuss treatment preferences and patient beliefs with patients and/or caregivers. This can help ensure that all patient's needs are met at the end of life.

Some questions to ask when choosing a Hospice

To guide you in finding hospice care, consider what is important to you and think about the questions below.

Overall program
1. Does the hospice accept my insurance? What services and treatments will be covered?
2. How long has the hospice been serving patients?
3. Where are hospice services provided?
4. Will the hospice provide a hospital bed and other medical equipment I might need?
Availability
1. Will I have the same hospice nurse? What other members of the hospice team might I see, and how often will I see them?
2. How many patients are assigned to each hospice nurse?
3. Does the hospice have help after business hours? Nights? Weekends? Holidays?
4. When I call with an urgent need, how long will it take for someone from the hospice team to respond?
Symptom management
1. How will the hospice team manage my pain or other symptoms that arise?
2. Can I take my current medications?
3. What if my symptoms become uncontrollable at home? Can I go to the hospital?
Communication, coordination, and education
1. How will the hospice team keep me and my family informed about my condition?
2. Will my family and I be involved in making care decisions?
3. How do I communicate any questions or concerns I have about my care?
4. Can I still see my regular doctor if I am on hospice? If yes, how will the hospice team coordinate care with my doctor?
5. How will the hospice team prepare me and my family for what to expect?
Caregiver resources
1. Can we speak with other caregivers to learn of their experience with the hospice?
2. What support services are offered by the hospice? What are our options if we need a break from providing care?
3. What if we cannot take care of our loved one at home?
4. How will the hospice team support us emotionally through the grieving process?