Hospice Care

Hospice care is focused on prevention and relief of suffering, relief of pain and other distressing symptoms, and on easing the stress and burdens that accompany illness. Our goal is to promote an optimum quality of life for our patients, their families and caregivers.

Your care is provided by a team of experienced healthcare professionals who view each patient as a partner in determining goals of care and choosing various options to achieve these goals. Your assigned team will oversee and guide your care every step of the way. Hospice care is provided in a patient’s home or wherever a patient calls “home” such as assisted living centers, residential care facilities, skilled nursing facilities and acute care settings.

How Hospice Can Help:

• By managing your physical symptoms and keeping you comfortable
   
• By providing emotional and/or spiritual support for you and your family
   
• By helping you with your daily living activities
   
• By providing information about your care and changes that may occur as your disease progresses
   
• By providing bereavement support to you and your family

Who Pays for Hospice Care

Most health insurance plans, including Medicare Part A, Medicare HMO, Medi-Cal, TriCare (Champus), senior health plans and private insurances, offer some level of hospice care benefit.

San Diego Hospice bills the patient’s insurance carrier directly for hospice services. Hospice services in most insurance plans include all of the following:

• Visits by the hospice team (routine care)
   
• Medications related to the hospice diagnosis
   
• Medical equipment*

   
• Medical supplies*

   
• Respite Care

   
• Inpatient Care

   
• Continuous/Crisis Care

   
• Bereavement services
   
• Physical, speech and occupational therapy*
   

Medical care provided by the patient’s attending physician and services not related to the hospice diagnosis, if needed, are handled under the patient’s regular insurance plan.

*Coverage may vary by insurance carrier.

To begin hospice care, the following are needed:

• Your physician and the hospice’s medical director both certify that you have a prognosis of six months* or less, if the illness runs its usual course.
   
• Your goals for care focus on comfort and quality of life rather than on cure of your illness.

*Hospice services are not limited to a six-month time period. You will continue to receive hospice services beyond six months if the illness is still present and considered “terminal,” and your treatment goals continue to focus primarily on comfort rather than cure.

San Diego Hospice representatives are available to answer questions and to see if hospice care is the best care for prospective patients. To request services or receive more information, complete our online form or call toll free (866) 688-1600.