What happens if a hospice patient gets better?

Occasionally, patients who enroll in hospice experience a period of improvement. This can happen because their symptoms are being better managed, they are more comfortable, or their disease has temporarily stabilized. This is not a failure of hospice; it is actually a sign that good comfort care can sometimes support the body in a meaningful way.

If a patient improves to the point where they no longer meet the eligibility criteria of a six-month prognosis, they are discharged from hospice care. This process is called a live discharge. The patient returns to their regular insurance coverage and can continue seeing their physicians as before.

A patient who has been discharged from hospice can re-enroll at any time in the future if their condition declines again. There is no penalty or waiting period for returning to hospice. If you are concerned about what will happen if you or your loved one improves on hospice, know that the door is always open in both directions.