Questions Families Ask on a First Hospice Call

The first call to a hospice can feel hard. You may not know what to ask. This guide gives you the key questions. It also tells you what a good answer sounds like.

You do not need to pick a hospice on this call. Ask your questions, take notes, and call back. A good hospice will not rush you.

One fact helps you start. A person can get hospice care if a doctor expects a life span of 6 months or less, if the illness runs its normal course. If that fits your loved one, the first call is the right next step.

Who comes to the home, and how often?

Ask this first. Care at home is the core of hospice work.

A good answer names each role. It gives a real visit plan, not a vague pledge. Our guide to what hospice care looks like day by day at home shows how a week of care can look.

• Who is on the care team? Ask about the nurse, the aide, the social worker, and the chaplain.
• How often does the nurse come? Ask how that count can change if pain or breath gets worse.
• How often does the aide come? Ask what the aide does, such as baths and clean sheets.
• Can visits rise in a hard week? Ask what makes the team add more visits.

What happens at night and on weekends?

Pain and fear do not keep office hours. Ask how the hospice works at night.

A nurse should be on call at all hours. The team should name the signs that bring a nurse to the home that same night.

• Who picks up the phone at 2 a.m.?
• Can a nurse come out at night, or is help by phone only?
• How fast does a nurse call back?
• What counts as a need that gets a home visit at night?

What drugs and gear does the hospice bring?

Ask what the hospice brings to the home, and what it does not.

A good answer lists the drugs and gear. It gives a time frame for fast needs.

• Which drugs does the hospice pay for and bring?
• How fast can a new drug reach the home if pain spikes?
• Does the hospice bring a hospital bed, an oxygen unit, and a bedside commode?
• Who sets the gear up, and who takes it away if it breaks?

What must our family supply?

Some costs and tasks stay with the family. Ask about them now.

A good answer is honest. Most home care still rests on family for much of the day. The hospice should offer to train you.

• What food, pads, or home goods must we buy?
• Who gives care in the hours when no staff are here?
• Can the hospice train us to give drugs and turn the patient?

What will care cost?

Costs are a fair thing to ask on the first call. The Medicare rules are clear.

A good answer walks through these sums with you. If a cost is not set by Medicare, the hospice should name its own price.

• There is no deductible for hospice care.
• You may pay up to $5 for each outpatient drug for pain and symptom relief.
• You pay 5% of the Medicare-approved amount for inpatient respite care.
• Ask if any drug or service sits outside the hospice benefit, and what it costs.

Who pays for hospice care?

Ask who pays in your case. The main paths are these.

Ask the hospice to check your loved one's coverage for you.

• Original Medicare (Part A): for most people, Medicare Part A pays for hospice care once the person elects the benefit and meets the rules.
• Medicaid: in many states, Medicaid can pay for hospice care for people who qualify. Ask how it works in your state.
• Private pay: some people pay on their own, or a private plan pays. Ask what rate the hospice charges.

Can we get a short break?

Care at home is hard work. Respite care gives the family a short rest. The patient stays in a care site for a brief stay, then comes home.

A good answer treats respite as a normal part of care. Rest helps you keep care safe at home.

• A respite stay can run up to 5 days at a time.
• You pay 5% of the Medicare-approved amount for inpatient respite care.
• The total you pay for respite in a period is capped at the Part A inpatient hospital deductible.
• Ask where respite stays take place, and how you book one.

What papers will we sign?

At the start of care, the patient or the patient's rep signs an election statement. This paper says the person picks hospice care. Ask what it says first. Our guide to what to clarify before signing a hospice election statement walks through the key points.

There is also a paper called the election statement addendum. It lists items and services that the hospice will not cover. Since October 1, 2026, a hospice must give this addendum to every patient who elects hospice. The hospice may not wait for you to ask for it.

Keep each paper in one safe place at home.

• The addendum comes in writing within 5 calendar days of the date the election takes effect.
• If the plan of care changes, an updated addendum comes within 3 calendar days.
• Ask what you should do if a listed item looks wrong to you.

How do we reach the team fast?

End the call with this point.

If you weigh more than one hospice, our list of questions to ask when choosing a hospice provider can help you compare them.

• Ask for the main number to call at any hour.
• Ask if that number goes to the hospice team, or to a call center.
• Ask how fast a nurse calls back on that line.
• Put the number on the fridge and in each phone in the home.

Sample situation

Ana Ruiz cares for her dad, Luis, at home. His heart disease is far along, and his doctor says his life span may be 6 months or less. Ana calls a hospice for the first time. She has a list of questions in front of her.

She asks who will come to the home. The nurse says a nurse will come twice a week, and an aide will come three times a week for baths. She asks about nights. The nurse says a nurse is on call at all hours and can come out if pain spikes.

Ana asks about cost. The nurse tells her there is no deductible. Luis may pay up to $5 for each outpatient drug for pain and symptom relief. If Luis uses a respite stay so Ana can rest, the family pays 5% of the Medicare-approved amount for that stay. Ana writes each sum down. She feels calm, since the costs are small and clear.

Steps for your first call

• Ask who comes to the home, and how often.
• Ask how nights and weekends work.
• Ask what drugs and gear the hospice brings, and what your family must supply.
• Ask what care costs, and who pays in your case.
• Ask about respite, and how to book a stay.
• Ask for the election statement addendum, and note when it should reach you.
• Save the one phone number that reaches the team fast.

Sources

• https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/hospice-care
• https://www.cms.gov/medicare/payment/fee-for-service-providers/hospice