Frequently Asked Questions
Admission
Insurance and Billing
- Can I keep my Medicare Health Plan?
- What isn't covered?
- What is respite care?
- How long can I get hospice care?
- Why do you still receive a daily rate even if no one visits me on a particular day?
Legal Issues
- What is a "Advance Directive"?
- What is the difference between a "Health Care Power of Attorney" and a "Living Will"?
- Are Living Wills and Health Care Power of Attorney from other states valid in South Carolina?
Palliative Care
- Will my primary doctor have trouble being reimbursed if I receive Palliative Care treatment at the same time?
- Everyone keeps telling me Palliative Care and Hospice are the same thing. I'm so confused!
- What does Palliative Care offer that my primary doctor doesn't already do for me?
- Are Palliative Care programs something new?
- Pal-ah-what???
- Will my health insurance cover Palliative Care?
- Could I become addicted to the medication used for my pain and symptoms?
- If I choose Palliative Care, isn't that like just giving up hope for a cure?
Referrals
- Can a patient be in a nursing home and receive hospice care?
- How much care does hospice provide to patients in a nursing facility?
- Do you think we need hospice right now?
- Who pays for the patient's medications, while in a nursing facility?
- Who pays for the patient's DME (Durable Medical Equipment) while in a nursing facility?
- Can a patient receive hospice care while in the hospital?
- Can patients utilize IV pumps for medication administration while at home or does the patient have to stay in the hospital for this treatment?
- How do we refer a patient to hospice care while they are in an assisted living facility?
- How much care does hospice provide to patients in an assisted living home?
- Who pays for the patient's medications, while in an assisted living facility?
Services
- Can patients living alone be on hospice care?
- How much does the counseling cost?
- Is your volunteer qualified? Do you check their background first?
- How does the program work?
- How can this care be free?
- How does this program differ from your Volunteer Program?
- What services do you provide?
- Is there someone who can stay all day with the patient?
- Isn't hospice there to hasten a person's death?
- How can you afford to do all of this for free?
- Do people ever leave Hospice?
- Can we call 911 for an ambulance?
- Is it necessary that the patient has a "Do Not Resuscitate" (DNR) in order to be on Hospice?
- Can a patient go into the hospital?
- Can a patient still see his/her own doctor?
- Who can I contact to make a presentation to our group?
- What educational opportunities and resources are offered by your agency addressing end-of-life issues?
- Is there a fee for these presentations?
Spiritual Care
- What if I do not have a church affiliation?
- What if I am a member of a local church and have a pastor that visits me?
- What about funeral planning?
Volunteers
- Can I catch an illness from a patient?
- Can I just work with your kids program?
- What kind of tests do I need to pass to be a volunteer?
- Are there any on-going classes for volunteers?
- How many hours a week must I commit to volunteering?
- How do I find out what a volunteer does?
- Will you train me?
- Can I visit people in my area?
- What kind of background do I need to be a hospice volunteer?
- Does the patient ask for a volunteer?
- Are volunteers expected to perform household chores?
- Do I need to visit at night?
- Do I need to re-qualify every year?
- Is there an age limit?
- Can I really help someone by just visiting?
- Who decides what patients I see?
- I am not a "medical" person. Does that matter?
- Are all of your patients dying?
- Do I have to sign up for a specific time frame?
- Do I need to stop by the office after each patient visit?
- Where do you take care of your patients?