Hospice care focuses on comfort and quality of life for patients with terminal illness (typically prognosis ≤6 months). Most hospices serve patients in their homes, but some have inpatient facilities. Services include nursing, medication management, equipment, social work, chaplaincy, and 13 months of bereavement support for the family. Medicare covers most hospice care for eligible patients; Medicaid and many private insurance plans also cover it. Many programs offer sliding-scale fees or charity care for the uninsured.
