Care during serious illness

Compare palliative care, hospice and planning treatment wishes. These are choices to discuss with your care team, not stages everyone must complete.

Who this program may help

Enrolled Veterans with clinical need can ask their care team about palliative or hospice services.

Eligibility explanation compared 2026-10-05; other source dates remain as listed.

Ask about palliative care
Palliative care relieves symptoms and supports quality of life. It can accompany treatment aimed at controlling or curing illness. Ask primary care or a VA social worker about symptoms, daily activities and care priorities. VA requires enrollment and clinical need; copays may apply.
Ask about hospice
Hospice focuses on comfort for a terminal condition. VA describes a prognosis generally of six months or less and a choice to focus on palliative treatment. Discuss that choice and clinical need with the care team. Ask the VA social worker about care at home, as an outpatient or as an inpatient. VA and VA-contracted hospice have no copays; privately arranged care is not automatically VA-paid.
Record treatment wishes
Your preferences and choice of health care agent help the team plan care. Discuss your priorities and share an advance directive with your care team and chosen agent.