What Is Hospice Care for Cancer Patients?

Hospice is one of the most misunderstood medical benefits we have, and frankly it's one of the most generous ones, whether you have an HMO or a very high level of medical coverage. Hospice care is a managed care plan that was first pronounced by Medicare and is copied by many of the private insurance companies and most Medicaid programs across the country.

So in hospice care the focus of treatment is on feeling better and being as functional as possible, not necessarily taking treatments that are going to affect the way the disease progresses. So many people misunderstand thinking, I have to die in six months to get Hospice care, not so.

The rule for Hospice care is that the illness, if left untreated and runs its usual course, will likely kill somebody within six months. It doesn't mean that in the end of six months you have graduated out. Sometimes actually with the extra attention people do get better and need to go back to their regular insurance and Hospice care but that's the minimum number of people.

So what Hospice is based upon our Medicare benefit is a good home care program that sends specialist level of people to your house, medicines to your house, supplies to your house, all that deal with the illness that's getting you in trouble. In addition to that, it opens the door to a number of volunteer programs, a number of counselors, spiritual counselors, social workers, nutritionists, physical therapists, any of the specialties that you need either can come to your house or you are sent to their offices.

All designed to increase your functioning and help you live whatever time you have left.