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Question | | Palliative Care | | Hospice Care |
| Who can receive this care? | | Anyone with a chronic illness, regardless of life expectancy, can receive palliative care. | | Someone with an illness with a life expectancy measured in months not years
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Can I continue to receive treatments to cure my
illness? | | You may receive palliative care and at the same time active medical treatment. | | Treatments and medicines aimed at relieving symptoms are provided by hospice.
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| Does Medicare pay? | | Some treatments and medications may be covered. | | Medicare pays all charges relatee to hospice.
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| Does Medicaid pay? | | Some treatments and medications may be covered. | | In 47 states, Medicaid pays all charges related to hospice.
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| Does private insurance pay? | | Some treatments and medications may be covered. | | Hospice benefit.
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Is this a package deal?
| | No, there is no "palliative care" package, the services are flexible and based on the patient's needs. | | Medicare and Medicaid hospice benefits are package deals.
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| How long can I receive care? | | This will depend upon your care needs, and the coverage you have through Medicare, Medicaid, or private insurance. | | As long as you meet the hospice criteria of an illness with a life expectancy of months, not years.
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What organization provides these services?
| | *Some Hospitals
*Some Hospices
*Some Organizations | | *Hospice Organizations
*Hospice Programs based out of a hospital.
*Other health care organizations.
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Where are services provided?
| | *Home
*Assisted living facility
*Nursing facility
*Hospital | | *Usually, wherever the patient resides, in their home, assisted living facility, nursing facility, or hospital.
*Some hospices have facilities where people can live, like a hospice residence, or receive car for short-term reasons, such as acute pain or symptom management.
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Who provides these services?
| | It varies. However usually there is a team including doctors, nurses, social workers and chaplains. | | A team-doctor, nurse, social worker, chaplain, volunteer, home health aide and others.
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| Do they offer expert end-of-life care? | | This varies, be sure to ask. | | Yes, staff are experts in end-of-life care.
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