Guide
Questions to ask
A first conversation is easier if you do not have to invent the questions in the moment. This list is a starting point, not a script, and it is not medical advice.
- Who would be my main contact, and how do I reach the team after hours or on a weekend?
- How often does a nurse usually visit, and what would change if symptoms became harder to manage?
- If care would be at home, what do you need a family member or other caregiver to do?
- If the person lives in a nursing home or assisted living community, how do you work with that facility’s staff?
- Do you have an inpatient setting, and when is it used? What would a short inpatient stay mean for us?
- Which medicines, equipment, and supplies would you provide, and what might we still have to arrange?
- How do you handle pain, shortness of breath, and restlessness? Who decides when a plan should change?
- What support is available for the family, including spiritual care if we want it, and grief support later?
- If we have Medicare, Medicaid, or private insurance, what should we expect to be billed for — including room and board, if a facility is involved?
- Are you currently licensed in Texas, and may we look you up on TULIP and, if you are Medicare-certified, on Medicare.gov?
- Do you offer a palliative care program that is separate from hospice? (The Texas license list does not say.)
- If our goals change, how would we stop hospice or get a second opinion?
You may also want to look at the agency’s license status on this site and, for a live state record, on TULIP. If the agency is Medicare-certified, CMS measures are explained on how to read hospice ratings.