The short answer
Hospice is care that gives comfort and support to people near the end of life and to their loved ones, when treatments are no longer controlling the cancer. It focuses on caring, not curing, and can be given at home or in a facility. It can provide support for months.
Hospice gives medical, emotional, and spiritual support when treatments no longer control the cancer.
Its focus is caring, not curing, and it aims to keep you comfortable and living each day fully.
Hospice most often takes place at home, but can also be in facilities, hospitals, or nursing homes.
Choosing hospice does not mean giving up hope; it means changing what you hope for.
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The full explanation.
What hospice care is
Hospice is a special type of care for people whose cancer treatment is no longer controlling the disease. It gives medical, psychological and spiritual support to the person with cancer and to their loved ones. A team of health care professionals works with patients and families. Together they provide the comfort and care people need closer to the end of life.
Hospice is a focus on caring, not curing. The goal is to help you live each day to the fullest. That means controlling pain and other symptoms, and making you as comfortable as possible. Hospice is not meant to hasten death, or to postpone it.
Hospice is not the same as palliative care
Both hospice and palliative care bring comfort and support. The difference is timing and focus.
Palliative care is available at any point in a person's experience with cancer, and treatment carries on while it is given. With hospice care, the focus shifts. It becomes relieving symptoms and giving support at the end of life.
Choosing hospice does not mean giving up hope
Choosing hospice care does not mean you have given up hope. It means you are changing what you hope for. You might now hope for good quality of life in the time you have. That can mean more time with family and friends.
Many people believe hospice is only for the last days or weeks of life. In fact it can provide support for months. Many people have said they wished hospice care had begun earlier. They were surprised by the expert care and understanding they received.
Where hospice care happens
Hospice care most often takes place at home. It can also be provided in special inpatient units, in hospitals, and in nursing homes. It can run alongside professional home care if needed.
Hospice services differ depending on where you live and on the hospice's own philosophy. In general they include:
- medical and nursing services
- medical supplies and equipment
- drugs for managing cancer-related symptoms and pain
- short-term inpatient care
- volunteers to give caregivers a break
- counseling and spiritual care
- social work services
- grief counseling and support
Who is on the hospice team
Hospice professionals and volunteers are specially trained. They are trained to handle medical symptoms. They are also committed to supporting the emotional needs of patients and families.
The team usually includes doctors, nurses, home health aides, social workers, and clergy or other counselors. Trained volunteers are part of it too. It may also include speech, physical and occupational therapists if you need them. The team focuses on your goals for end-of-life care. Your care plan is built around your needs and your wishes.
Qualifying for hospice and paying for it
Your doctor must certify that you are eligible for hospice care. Most insurance plans, including Medicare, will cover hospice once two people confirm one thing. Your attending doctor and the hospice medical director must both state that you have a life expectancy of 6 months or less. You would also sign a statement saying you are choosing hospice care.
Hospice care can continue if you live longer than 6 months. Your hospice doctor just has to recertify your condition. You always have the option to stop hospice care if you choose. Sometimes people change their mind, or switch to another provider. Some leave hospice because their condition improves, or because they go back to cancer treatment.
Medicare and most Medicaid and private insurance plans pay for hospice services. The Medicare hotline (1-800-MEDICARE) can answer questions about hospice benefits and Medicare-certified programs. Local civic, charitable or religious organizations may also help with hospice costs.
Choosing a hospice
Once you decide to use hospice care, talk to organizations as soon as you can. Not all hospices provide the same services, and the medicines they cover will vary. It can help to talk with family and friends who have used hospice. Ask your health care team who they would suggest. Organizations such as the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization can also help you find and compare providers.
Words to know
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Common questions
What is hospice care?
Hospice is a special type of care that gives medical, psychological, and spiritual support to people near the end of life and to their loved ones, when therapies are no longer controlling the disease. A team of professionals works with patients and families to provide comfort and care.
Is hospice the same as palliative care?
No. Both give comfort and support, but palliative care is available throughout a person's cancer experience while treatment continues. With hospice, the focus shifts to relieving symptoms and giving support at the end of life.
Where can hospice care be given?
Hospice most often takes place at home, but it can also be provided in special inpatient facilities, hospitals, and nursing homes. It can also take place alongside professional home care if needed.
Does choosing hospice mean giving up hope?
No. Choosing hospice does not mean you have given up hope. Instead, it means you are changing what you hope for, such as good quality of remaining life and more time with loved ones and friends.
Who qualifies for hospice, and who pays?
Your doctor must certify that you are eligible. Most plans, including Medicare, cover hospice once your doctor and the hospice medical director state you have a life expectancy of 6 months or less. You also sign a statement choosing hospice. Care can continue past 6 months if your doctor recertifies your condition.
How long can hospice care last?
Even though many people believe hospice is only for the last days or weeks of life, it can provide support for months. Many people have said they wished hospice care had begun earlier.
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Sources last checked: 2026-07-14 what this meansLast updated: 2026-08-05Next planned review: 2028-07-14
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How this page was created
Cancer Explained does not originate medical claims. Every page restates guidance already published by the National Cancer Institute, the CDC, the USPSTF and the FDA, in plain language, with the source cited so you can check the original yourself. AI does the translating and organizing; automated checks test claims, citations, clarity and safety before anything publishes. We do not employ clinicians and do not intend to — our work is translation and navigation, not clinical judgment. Nothing here is personal medical advice, and no page can account for your particular situation.
Editorial status: Source checked — This page was written with AI assistance and checked line by line against the sources listed on it. That confirms the sources support what the page says. It is not a medical review, and it does not confirm the page is complete or right for your situation.
Human medical review: not completed. Pages here are not signed off by a clinician before they publish. That is not an oversight we are quietly working around: we restate published guidance and cite it, so the authority belongs to the source rather than to us, and every page names where its claims come from — you can verify us instead of trusting us. Where a volunteer clinician has reviewed a page, their name and credentials appear on it; where no name appears, no clinician has checked it. We are glad to have reviewers and are recruiting them, and we do not hold pages back waiting for one. Use this site to understand your situation and to ask better questions of the people treating you.
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