Palliative care and hospice both focus on comfort and quality of life. The difference is that palliative care can be given at any stage of a serious illness, alongside treatment to cure it, while hospice is for people who are likely in the last six months of life and have chosen to stop curative treatment.
Side by side
| Palliative care | Hospice care | |
|---|---|---|
| Who it is for | Anyone with a serious illness, at any stage | People with a terminal illness and a life expectancy of six months or less |
| Curative treatment | Can continue (chemotherapy, dialysis, surgery and so on) | Stops for the terminal illness; the focus is comfort |
| Where it happens | Usually clinics, hospitals and sometimes at home | Mostly at home or in a care facility; sometimes an inpatient unit |
| How Medicare pays | Like other medical care, under Part B and Part A, with usual copays | Under the Medicare hospice benefit (Part A), with almost no out-of-pocket cost |
| Team | Palliative doctor or nurse practitioner, often a social worker | Full team: doctor, nurses, aides, social worker, chaplain, volunteers, bereavement support |
| Equipment and medications | Billed separately through regular insurance | Included for the terminal illness |
What palliative care does
Palliative care is specialized care for people living with a serious illness such as cancer, heart failure, COPD, kidney disease or dementia. A palliative team works with the person’s other doctors to:
- Relieve pain, breathlessness, nausea, fatigue and other symptoms
- Help with difficult decisions and explain treatment options
- Support the patient’s and family’s emotional and practical needs
- Plan ahead, including advance directives
Someone can receive palliative care for years. It is often a good bridge for people who are not ready for, or not yet eligible for, hospice.
Moving from palliative care to hospice
As an illness progresses, the palliative team often helps the family recognize when hospice may be the better fit, for example when treatments stop working or hospital visits become frequent. Read when is it time for hospice for signs to watch for.
Common questions
Is palliative care the same as “comfort care”? The terms are used loosely. “Comfort care” usually means care focused only on comfort, which is the approach hospice takes. Palliative care also focuses on comfort but can be combined with curative treatment.
Can I get palliative care at home? Some programs offer home visits, and availability varies by area and insurance. Ask your doctor or health plan what is available.
Do I have to choose one forever? No. A person can move from palliative care to hospice, and someone on hospice can leave it if their situation changes. See can you leave hospice?
Sources
- Medicare.gov: Hospice care coverage
- CaringInfo: The difference between palliative care and hospice care
This guide is general information, not medical advice. Talk with your doctor about your own situation.