If you or your loved one is a veteran in need of end-of-life care, you may be wondering whether Veterans Affairs (VA) covers hospice care. Yes, hospice care is among VA benefits. In this post, we will go over the basics of hospice for veterans so you know what to expect.
What to Know About Veteran Hospice Care
VA benefits are one of the options for paying for hospice care. You or your loved one may be eligible for VA hospice care if you or they are:
- A veteran enrolled in VA benefits.
- Diagnosed with a terminal condition with a life expectancy of 6 months or less.
To be deemed eligible for hospice the patient must be at the last stage of their terminal illness, making treatments aimed at curing the condition futile. During hospice care the goal is aggressive symptoms management and comfort care, aimed at maintaining the patient’s quality of life.
VA covers 100% of the costs of hospice. That means that there are no out-of-pocket expenses to receive hospice for veterans.
Our Veteran Hospice Services
Journey Palliative and Hospice provides VA hospice care to our nation’s veterans. Services include:
- All four levels of hospice, including routine home care (which comprises the majority of hospice care), general inpatient care, continuous home care and respite care.
- At-home care, whether home is a house, apartment, nursing home, assisted living facility, or other environment.
- A multi-disciplinary approach, including palliative care, physical therapy, and other types of care that help alleviate symptoms while supporting autonomy and overall wellbeing.
- Grief counseling and spiritual care for the patient and their family.
- All necessary medications and equipment.
- A simple and straightforward admissions process. We are used to navigating the VA system, and can walk you through it step-by-step.
The team at Journey Palliative and Hospice has specialized expertise in providing care to veterans. Your loved one’s terminal diagnosis may or may not be connected with past wounds or conditions sustained during service. We know that in either case, those wounds and conditions also require care.
In addition, our team members have experience caring for patients who suffer from the psychological and spiritual effects that can accompany military service, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Get the Compassionate Care You or Your Loved One Needs
The end-of-life is a challenging time for patients and their loved ones. But you are not alone during these final months. VA benefits cover the cost of hospice care for veterans, and the compassionate professionals at Journey Palliative and Hospice are here to support veterans and their caregivers.
To find out how we can help, please give us a call at (818) 748-3427 to schedule your VA hospice care consultation.
