Palliative care improves quality of life for anyone with a serious illness, no matter their prognosis. Here's how it works.
How palliative care works
Palliative care is an extra layer of support delivered by a specialized team, doctors, nurses, social workers, and others, who work alongside your regular doctors. The focus is relieving symptoms such as pain, fatigue, nausea, shortness of breath, anxiety, and sleep problems, while helping you and your family cope with the stress of a serious illness. It can be provided in hospitals, clinics, nursing facilities, or at home, and it works hand-in-hand with treatments meant to cure or control your disease. The goal is simple: help you live as well as possible, for as long as possible, at any stage of illness.
How Medicare covers palliative care
Unlike hospice, which has its own dedicated benefit, palliative care is generally covered the way other medical services are. Medicare Part A and Part B cover palliative care visits, consultations, and related treatments, subject to standard deductibles and coinsurance. Prescription drugs fall under Part D. Because palliative care is provided alongside regular treatment, normal cost-sharing applies, which is where a Medigap plan helps by covering deductibles and coinsurance. To understand exactly what your Medicare and Medigap coverage pays for palliative care, and how it differs from hospice, call 1-800-MEDIGAP for a clear, no-pressure explanation.