Hospice is comfort-focused care for a life-limiting illness, generally when a physician expects six months or less, delivered wherever the person lives. Palliative care focuses on symptom relief and quality of life and can run alongside treatment intended to cure, at any stage of an illness, not only at the end of life.
The distinction families miss
Palliative care is not a synonym for end-of-life care, and it does not require stopping curative treatment. A person can receive palliative care for pain and symptom management while still pursuing chemotherapy, dialysis, or another curative course. Hospice, by contrast, generally requires a physician's certification of a life expectancy of six months or less if the disease runs its normal course, and it shifts the focus away from curative treatment toward comfort.
What each covers
- Medicare's hospice benefit covers the hospice team, medications related to the terminal diagnosis, and durable medical equipment. It does not cover room and board in a facility.
- Palliative care is typically billed as a medical consultation service and can be delivered in a hospital, clinic, or at home, alongside ongoing treatment.
