Hospice Myths
Myth: If we put our loved one in hospice, they will give up and die sooner.
Fact: If we put our loved one in hospice, they will give up and die sooner.
Studies have proven that when a patient’s comfort level increases they feel more hopeful and may live longer. This means that not only do patients and their loved ones get to share more time together, but the quality of time is far better.
Myth: Hospice is a place where someone goes to die.
Fact: Hospice is not a place. It’s a philosophy of care rooted in providing dignity and comfort.
Hospice services are available to patients in their homes or setting of their choice and are designed to meet the patient’s medical, emotional, social, and spiritual needs. A 2010 study in the New England Journal of Medicine showed that terminally-ill lung cancer patients receiving palliative care lived an average of three months longer than their counterparts who delayed or didn’t seek palliative treatment.
Myth: Once my loved one is in hospice, we can’t change our minds.
Fact: Hospice is a choice.
Patients can leave, or “revoke their hospice status,” at any time for any reason. Patients can also come back to hospice at any time, as long as they meet hospice eligibility guidelines.
Myth: My loved one won’t receive any treatment in hospice.
Fact: Hospice gives medicines as needed to help with symptoms.
Hospice patients are prescribed medicines that manage the symptoms of their advanced illness and improve quality of life. Hospice doctors try to give just enough medicine to manage symptoms and ease pain.
Myth: Hospice is only available for a limited time.
Fact: There is no limit to the time a patient can be on hospice.
Hospice is for patients who have 6 months or less to live according to a doctor, and it can be extended when needed. In surveys, family members often say, “we wish we had known about hospice sooner.”
Myth: Hospice is expensive.
Fact: Most hospice patients do not have any out-of-pocket expenses.
Medicare Part A covers up to 100% of the cost of hospice care related to a hospice-eligible patient’s illness, with no deductible or copayment. Medicaid provides hospice coverage, but it varies by state. Private or employer-provided health coverage can vary. Check with your insurance provider for details about hospice eligibility, coverage, and out-of-pocket expenses. Hospice also provides home medical equipment and supplies related to the cause of the illness. This includes shower chairs, oxygen tanks, hospital beds, toileting supplies, and more.
