Myths

Truth: The hospice benefit provides patients and families with choices and the hospice team serves to educate them on palliative care, serve as a guide, and help prepare the patient and family.

Truth: Hospice is a Philosophy of care that focus on quality and comfort during end of life. Hospice occurs wherever home is.

Truth: All hospices are mandated to provide the same services. Some decide to remain small to ensure that they can provide well-managed care on a more intimate level.

Truth: There are circumstance when patients may go to the hospital for non-hospice related illness or injury. In addition, Hospice can provide inpatient care to help control symptoms unable to be managed in the home.

Truth: 24 hour caregivers are not required for admission to hospice. The hospice team, along with the patient and family will develop a safe plan of care as the disease progresses.

Truth: Medicare requires that patients and families be given choices when palliative/Hospice care is being considered. Decisions should be made only after researching and asking questions. It is important to feel comfortable with your Hospice Care Team.

Truth: A DNR is not a requirement when electing the Medicare Hospice Benefit.

Truth: Hospice will manage the care related to the terminal illness. All other care will continue to be covered under Medicare or other existing insurance coverage.

Truth: Patients may continue to receive treatments that are palliative or for comfort in nature.

Truth: All Medicare hospices must provide the same services based on rules and regulations set forth by Medicare. Patients are expected to receive the same services from a "for profit" hospice. These services should be palliative I comfort care in nature.