What Is Palliative Care vs. Hospice?

Palliative care and hospice care share some similarities, and both serve individuals with chronic health conditions. However, these forms of care are not interchangeable and should be understood as distinctly valuable services to individuals at different stages of their health journeys.

What Is Palliative Care?

Palliative care is specialized care designed to support those with serious and chronic medical conditions. Palliative care combines a variety of services and resources to achieve this goal, including care coordination, symptom management, counseling, and more. Clients can receive palliative care services in their homes or in a hospital or other clinical setting.

What Is Hospice Care?

Hospice care is specialized care designed to support individuals with a life-limiting medical condition. When a person chooses to forgo curative treatments, hospice care can provide comfort and enrichment during the end-of-life stage (which can last weeks, months, or years). Clients usually receive hospice care in their homes but can also be served in hospitals, free-standing hospice centers, or the homes of family members or friends.

Are Palliative Care and Hospice Care the Same?

Palliative care and hospice are similar in some ways, but they are not interchangeable, despite common misconceptions. A survey of thousands of U.S. adults found that less than one-third know about palliative care, and among those who do, 38% believe palliative care is the same as hospice. One important distinction is that only hospice is associated with end-of-life care. Below, we explore more differences between these forms of care.

Palliative Care vs. Hospice Care: Key Differences

Palliative care and hospice care differ in several key ways, including the purpose of care, what determines eligibility, the scope of services provided, and insurance coverage.

Purpose of Care

Both palliative care and hospice care aim to enhance a person's quality of life during a challenging time. However, beyond that, the approaches to care differ in purpose.

• Palliative care focuses on improving the quality of life for clients with serious illnesses at any stage of the disease (not just a terminal diagnosis or a certain prognosis) and can be provided alongside curative treatments. This form of care aims to relieve symptoms and stress associated with the illness and help a person navigate life with their diagnosis.
• Hospice care is intended for clients with a life-limiting condition. This form of care emphasizes comfort, dignity, and quality of life throughout a person’s final weeks or months once they have chosen to discontinue curative treatment.

Eligibility 

Another important distinction separating palliative and hospice care is how a person’s eligibility for these services is determined.

• Palliative care is available for individuals and their care team to initiate at any stage of a serious illness, whether the disease is curable or not. A wide range of people qualify for palliative care.
• Hospice care, on the other hand, is typically offered when a person has received a life expectancy of six months or less. People can initiate hospice care when they choose to stop pursuing curative treatments.

Scope of Services

Palliative and hospice care share considerable overlap in the types of services provided, but these service offerings are not the same.

• Palliative care includes care coordination, symptom management (including pain relief), and emotional and psychological support. It typically involves a team of interdisciplinary professionals, including doctors, nurses, social workers, and even chaplains if desired.
• Hospice care incorporates many aspects of palliative care, including symptom management and emotional and psychological care, but adds a focus on end-of-life support. For example, hospice offers bereavement support for families, spiritual care, and assistance with legal and financial matters related to a person’s final wishes. Hospice is also more likely than palliative care to include frequent or even around-the-clock nursing care as needed.

Insurance Coverage

Depending on the circumstances, people may be able to access both palliative care and hospice care at little or no cost to them through insurance. However, eligibility for insurance coverage differs between these two forms of care.

• Palliative care coverage may vary depending on the insurance plan and whether the care is provided alongside curative treatments. Medicare typically covers many, if not all, costs associated with palliative care, including care coordination from a dedicated palliative care professional, medications for pain management, visits with social workers, and more.
• Hospice care is typically covered fully by Medicare, Medicaid, and many private insurance plans for those who are eligible. Most insurance plans include a specific hospice benefit that encompasses a range of services, including at-home nursing care, medical equipment, counseling, and more. (Many costs not covered by insurance are tax deductible.)

Palliative Care and Hospice: Supporting Your Well-Being at Every Stage

Both palliative care and hospice are helpful resources for individuals experiencing serious medical conditions. If you’re not sure which is more appropriate for your situation or whether you qualify, talk with your healthcare provider to determine the most appropriate care approach.

As a long-time provider of hospice care, WesleyLife is proud to now offer quality palliative care at home. Our palliative care team can come to your home and support you in a variety of ways so you can live life to the fullest, even amid health challenges.

Take a moment to learn more about palliative care from WesleyLife.