Is Hospice Too Restrictive?

The intentions of the Medicare Hospice Benefit were all good; providing comprehensive end-of-life care to dying patients and their families covered under the federal Medicare system. Hospice is a wonderful, invaluable service to millions of Americans. Unfortunately, only about 1/2 of people eligible for hospice actually receive it. There are many reasons why this is but the one I hear most often is that patients and their families don't want to give up all aggressive, life-prolonging treatments.

Why can't patients have it both ways? Why are they forced to make the decision to either give up aggressive treatments or give up compassionate comfort care? In a perfect world, they would have access to both simultaneously. We know, however, that our world is not perfect.

I have hopes that in the future patients would have more options; that the choices they have to make wouldn't have to be so restrictive. I see it as a real possibility, not a far-fetched dream. The only way it will happen is through a strong citizen-community voice. You can help! Contact your legislatures to request more flexibility in the Medicare Hospice Benefit. Let's work together to make hospice more accessible to everyone who can benefit from it.

Visit the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization's website to found out how you can make a difference at www.nhpco.org

What is Hospice?

The Medicare Hospice Benefit