HMO Guide for Seniors - Office of the Patient Advocate - State of ...

56 Care at the End of Life
W
ork closely with your doctor and your Medicare HMO so that the
care you or your loved one has in the last months and days of life is the
best it can be. Services such as hospice care and pain management can
help at a very hard time. Having an Advance Health Care Directive
also helps you get the care you want at the end of your life. See page 28.
Hospice Benefits
“My father was
in hospice for 6
months. He was
at home with us,
and his pain was
controlled. We
could not have
kept him at home
without the help
of hospice.”
Hospice is care for people who are terminally ill. Your doctor must say that
you are expected to live 6 months or less. You will not get care, like chemo, to
treat your illness. But you will get care to manage pain and other symptoms.
You get hospice care from Original Medicare, even if you are in a
Medicare HMO.
Hospice services can be at home or in a facility, like a nursing home.
If you need care that is not related to your terminal condition, you will
still get it from your Medicare HMO.
For more information, visit www.calnhs.org.
Hospice staff can help in many ways. They help with medication, pain
management, bathing, and other care. They can also help the family deal
with emotional stress and make the final arrangements when the patient dies.
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