NCCN on Hospice Care - not as good as Steph's Questions to ask, but here
it is...
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http://www.nccn.org/patients/patient.../3_hospice.asp
>
Hospice care is supportive or palliative care given near the end of life.
The right time for hospice care is when treatment aimed at curing or
controlling the cancer is no longer helping the patient. Together, the
patient, family, and doctor decide when hospice care should begin.
Typically, patients are eligible for a hospice program when they have
about 6 months to live.
Hospice seeks to manage a patient's physical and emotional symptoms. The
goal of hospice is to help patients live their last days with dignity and
quality, surrounded by loved ones. Hospice care affirms life and neither
hurries nor postpones death. Its focus is on quality of life, rather than
length of life.
Hospice programs offer family-centered care. They include the patient and
family in making decisions. Hospice care is usually given in the home, but
it can also be given in a hospital, nursing home, or private hospice
center.
In a hospice program, the hospice team will have a doctor who is the
medical director, a nurse, a nurse's aide, a social worker, and a
chaplain. In most cases, your own doctor will also play a role.
Deciding to begin hospice care can be hard. An honest talk with your
doctor can help you decide if hospice care is the right thing to do.
Consider the following:
* Ask whether any treatment your doctor suggests offers hope for a
cure.
* If a cure is not possible, will the treatment prolong your life or
relieve any of your symptoms?
You should think about hospice if your doctor can't assure you that
treatment will meet any of these goals. A hospice program will have the
best chance of controlling your symptoms and keeping the quality of your
life.
For more information, you may want to contact the National Hospice and
Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO).
Cost of Care
The cost of cancer care, whether for cancer treatment or palliative care,
will always be important to consider. Insurance policies differ widely.
Patients should always check with their insurance company to find out
which services are covered. Many insurance companies will have a case
coordinator who will be the main contact. This person decides what is
covered for each case. Most health insurance plans cover hospice care.
Medicare has a special hospice benefit that not only covers care but also
pays for all medicines.
For Medicare information, call the Medicare Hotline at CMS (Center for
Medicare and Medicaid Services): 1-800-638-6833; TDD: 1-800-820-1202. They
can explain what Medicare covers and how to qualify.
Serious illnesses often create a need for a lot of money right away. In
many states, death benefits from life insurance policies can be turned
into "living benefits." These benefits are available in several ways, such
as selling the policy or borrowing against it.
NCCN on Hospice Care 
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