Hospice is care focused on comfort and quality of life for a person with a serious illness who is approaching the end of life, with support for the family too. Attempts to cure the illness stop (National Institute on Aging). Under Medicare it is for people whose doctors certify a life expectancy of 6 months or less, and covered services cost $0 (Medicare.gov).
Who qualifies under Medicare
A person must have Part A and meet all of these (Medicare.gov):
- The hospice doctor and the regular doctor, if there is one, certify that the person is terminally ill, with a life expectancy of 6 months or less.
- The person accepts comfort care instead of care to cure the illness.
- The person signs a statement choosing hospice over other Medicare-covered treatments for the terminal illness.
The four levels of hospice care
Federal rules set four categories of hospice care (Electronic Code of Federal Regulations). The hospice team decides which one is needed.
| Level | Where | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Routine home care | At home, or where the person lives | The usual level, with regular visits from the team |
| Continuous home care | At home | Mostly nursing care on a continuous basis, only during brief periods of crisis, to keep the person at home |
| Inpatient respite care | An approved facility | A short stay that gives the family a break |
| General inpatient care | An inpatient facility | For pain control or managing symptoms that cannot be handled in other settings |
What it costs under Medicare
| Item | You pay |
|---|---|
| Covered hospice care | $0 from a Medicare-approved provider (Medicare.gov) |
| Outpatient drugs for pain and symptoms | Up to $5 per prescription |
| Inpatient respite care | May be 5% of the Medicare-approved amount |
| Room and board at home, in a nursing home or hospice facility | Not covered, unless the team arranges a short-term inpatient or respite stay (Medicare.gov) |
Who is on the team
Hospice brings together nurses, doctors, social workers, spiritual advisors and trained volunteers. They work with the person and the family to give medical, emotional and spiritual support (National Institute on Aging).
Where it happens
Hospice is an approach to care, so it is not tied to one place. It can be at home or in a facility such as a nursing home, a hospital or a separate hospice center (National Institute on Aging).
When to raise it
The National Institute on Aging notes that people sometimes start hospice too late to get its full benefit (National Institute on Aging). If you think it might help, talk to your parent's doctor. Only their care team can say whether they qualify.
Common questions
Does choosing hospice mean giving up all treatment?
It means stopping treatment intended to cure the terminal illness. Comfort care and treatment for unrelated conditions continue. A person can also stop hospice and return to curative treatment.
Can someone in a nursing home get hospice?
Yes. Medicare says hospice can usually be provided in the home or facility where a person lives, such as an assisted living facility or nursing home. Medicare does not pay the room and board there.
Is hospice available 24 hours a day?
A team member visits regularly, and the National Institute on Aging says someone is usually available by phone 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Related guides
Medicare hospice benefit
Who qualifies for the Medicare hospice benefit, how the 90- and 60-day benefit periods work, what you pay in 2026, and what Medicare stops covering.
How long can someone stay in hospice?
Medicare hospice is not capped at six months. See how the benefit periods work, with a tool to find which period applies.
Palliative care vs. hospice
Palliative care can run alongside treatment at any stage of a serious illness. Hospice is for the last months of life, when curative treatment stops. See the side-by-side table.
Sources
- What Are Palliative Care and Hospice Care?, National Institute on Aging (NIH). Checked November 8, 2026.
- Hospice care, Medicare.gov. Checked November 8, 2026.
- 42 CFR 418.302: Payment procedures for hospice care, Electronic Code of Federal Regulations. Checked November 8, 2026.
This guide explains general rules. It is not medical, legal or financial advice for your situation. Program rules and amounts change, usually each January (Medicare and Medicaid) and each October (VA). Confirm details with the agency or a qualified professional before you decide. See our editorial policy.