Call Us: (818) 980-9770
Call Us: (818) 980-9770
Hospice is not a place or physical location, it is a philosophy of care, focusing primarily on providing comfort, relieved pain, and offering support for persons with life-limiting health conditions and their families. Hospice provides pain and symptom relief, as well as emotional and spiritual support, typically in the last six months of life. Hospice care is provided wherever you live, whether it's at home or an assisted living residence.
At Atlantic Care Hospice, we are a comprehensive and interdisciplinary team of physicians, nurses, home health aides, social workers, chaplains and volunteers with the goal to provide quality care to our patients and their families.
Hospice care is generally for those with life-limiting illnesses, when treatment is no longer the best option. With some illnesses, treatment can become worse than living with the illness itself. In these situations, managing the symptoms can be more beneficial to the quality of life of the patient. The emphasis of hospice care is providing comfort and relief of pain, whether physical, emotional, or spiritual.
We help families and patients experience the end of life together, maintaining focus on the quality of life instead of its duration.
The costs associated with hospice care are generally covered under the Medicare Hospice Benefit.
The Medicare Hospice Benefit covers the range of medical and supportive services that are deemed reasonable and necessary for managing a person's illness. Most state Medicaid programs offer hospice coverage, as do most private health insurance plans.Our knowledgeable staff can help patients and families apply for hospice coverage.
If the patient meets eligibility requirements, then the Medicare Hospice Benefit may pay up to 100% of the cost with no deductible or co-payment. Additionally, prescription medications and medical supplies may also be covered.
Often times, but not always, a physician may be first to bring up the possibility of hospice care. If the physician feels that the patient has a life expectancy that could be less than six months or less, they will deem hospice as the best option. Hospice services can be extended if a patient lives beyond six months after admission.
However, a family does not have to wait for a physician's referral. A friend or family member can refer a loved one to hospice care, and the referral process can begin with a call to the physician or us. In the past, most families and patients who've received hospice have said that they wished they had known about it earlier.