Hospice inpatient care and respite care

Medicare's hospice page states that care is usually given in the home or the facility where the person lives, and that a person who meets certain conditions can also receive care in an inpatient hospice facility. If the hospice team determines that short-term inpatient care or respite care is needed and arranges it, Medicare covers the stay. The plan of care can include short-term inpatient care for pain and symptom management, and inpatient respite care for up to 5 days at a time, more than once but only occasionally, so that a family carer can rest; the respite copayment is 5 per cent of the Medicare-approved amount and cannot exceed the inpatient deductible. Hospital inpatient care for the terminal illness must be arranged by the hospice team, or the person may have to pay the full cost.

In England, the NHS end of life care pages list a hospice among the places end of life care can be given, alongside home, hospital and care home.