Survival of Medicare Patients after Enrollment in Hospice Programs

The primary goal of hospice care is the palliation of patients' physical and mental suffering. Hospice care may offer several advantages over traditional, hospital-based care for people with terminal illnesses. It can be delivered in a patient's home, allowing death to take place at home, 1 , 2 and it may optimize the relief of pain, 3 increase patients' satisfaction, 4 – 6 and increase cost effectiveness. 7 – 12 Partly in anticipation of such advantages, Medicare began covering hospice care for its beneficiaries in 1982. 13 , 14 A Medicare beneficiary with a terminal illness who elects hospice care receives noncurative medical and support services, many of which . . .