What is hospice care for cancer patients?

Hospice care is a misunderstood health benefit, says palliative medicine specialist Stewart Fleishman, MD. Learn more about hospice care for cancer patients.

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So in hospice care, the focus of treatment is on feeling better and being as functional as possible,

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not necessarily taking treatments that are going to affect the way the disease progresses.

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[LIVELY PIANO MUSIC]

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Hospice is one of the most misunderstood medical benefits we have, and frankly, it's one of the most generous ones, whether you have an HMO or a very high level

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of medical coverage. Hospice care is a managed care plan

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that was first put out by Medicare and is copied by many of the private insurance companies and most Medicaid programs across the country.

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So in hospice care, the focus of treatment is on feeling better and being as functional as possible,

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not necessarily taking treatments that are going to affect the way the disease progresses.

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So many people misunderstand, thinking, I have to die in six months to get hospice care. Not so.

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The rule for hospice care is that the illness, if left untreated and runs its usual course,

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will likely kill somebody within six months. It doesn't mean that, at the end of six months, you're graduated out.

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Sometimes actually, with the extra attention, people do get better and need to go back to their regular insurance and hospice care.

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But that's the minimum number of people. So what hospice is, based upon our Medicare benefit, is a good home care program that sends specialist-level people

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to your house, medicines to your house, supplies to your house, all that deal with the illness that's getting you in trouble.

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In addition to that, it opens the door to a number of volunteer programs, a number of counselors, spiritual counselors,

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social workers, nutritionists, physical therapists. Any of the specialties that you need either

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can come to your house, or you're sent to their offices, all designed to increase your functioning and help you live whatever time you have left.