What are the different levels of hospice care?

There are four levels of hospice care. The levels are available based on need.

1. Routine hospice care is the level of care most often provided. It’s administered on a daily basis, either in a home setting or in a facility.
   
2. General inpatient hospice care is only available to those with symptoms that are unable to be managed under routine hospice care. For instance, if the terminally ill person’s pain or agitation cannot be managed in the home setting, the hospice provider may offer to transfer the person to a general inpatient setting. There are stringent Medicare and Medicaid regulations that must be followed for a person to qualify for this level of care. Care may be provided in a dedicated hospice facility (hospice house), a nursing facility or a hospital.
   
3. Continuous hospice care is provided in the home setting with hospice staff present for an extended amount of time throughout the day. Continuous hospice care is only offered in cases where efforts to control the person’s symptoms are unable to be controlled with routine hospice care. As with general inpatient hospice care, there are stringent Medicare and Medicaid regulations that must be followed to qualify for this level of care.
   
4. Respite care is short term care (up to five days) to temporarily relieve a caregiver of their caregiving duties. It’s generally provided in a nursing facility that works with the hospice provider. In some instances, respite care may be provided in a dedicated hospice inpatient facility.