FAQ

Here are answers for your most frequently asked questions about hospice care.

What is hospice care?

Hospice care provides support to individuals and their loved ones during an advanced illness, ensuring that every person’s journey of life is allowed to end with dignity, compassion, and comfort. The hospice care team provides expert symptom management, family support, education, and access to therapies that can improve quality of life and peace of mind.

Who is financially responsible for hospice care?

Hospice care is paid for through Medicare, Medicaid, most private insurance plans, The Department of Veteran Affairs, HMOs, and other managed care organizations.

When is the right time to consider hospice care?

The sooner, the better. There is a myth that hospice care is for the last week or two of a person’s life, or when a person is actively dying. The right time to have an assessment and take advantage of the person’s hospice benefit is when a person is diagnosed with a serious illness.

What is palliative care?

Palliative care is a comprehensive treatment plan to help patients live with their illness and symptoms more comfortably. It is implemented in tandem with a patient’s primary medical treatment to help ease and improve one’s quality of life.

How is palliative care different from hospice care?

You don’t have to be in hospice or end of life care to receive palliative care. Patients of all ages are able to receive care whether their medical condition can be cured or not. The goal of palliative care is to make patients as comfortable as possible as they work through their illness. Palliative care is appropriate for those who have difficulty managing their care resulting in frequent hospital stays. 

Who is financially responsible for palliative care?

Palliative care is covered by Medicare Part B, Medicaid as well as other insurance providers. Our palliative care team is available to assist you with any questions you may have regarding coverage.

What areas does Journey Hospice serve?

Journey Hospice proudly serves patients throughout southern New Jersey in Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, and Salem counties, in northern New Jersey in Essex and Morris counties, and in Pennsylvania in the greater Philadelphia area.