While it’s true that most people who are receiving hospice care die shortly after being enrolled, there are some patients who continue to survive well after their expected end of life. That’s because most patients don’t realize they could benefit from hospice care much earlier in their illness. A patient may survive 6 months while in hospice, possibly longer, even though there isn’t a cure for their illness.

There have been some cases in which a patient has miraculously overcome their terminal illness without a cure during hospice care. Hospice team members would then work with the patient and their family to prepare for discharge. However, this would only happen if the patient no longer meets the eligibility for hospice care.

A hospice care team would likely coordinate Medicaid services during this time to ensure that the patient’s health care is monitored and support continues after their release from the nursing home, assisted living, or medical facility.