Does the VA Pay for Veterans’ Hospice Care?

There are more than 18.2 million veterans in our country, and more than half of these are over age 65. Only about five percent of veterans receive hospice care at end of life, even though they have specific needs due to their time in service that hospice teams are specifically trained to address.

Hospice care is available to U.S. Veterans through the Veterans Health Administration benefits package. All enrolled veterans are eligible to receive and who meet the medical need for this type of care.

At Lower Cape Fear LifeCare, we have provided the highest level of hospice care for decades, and we have a special place in our heart for veterans. We have continually met or exceeded the national average for categories on national caregivers’ surveys. This means that family members trust us to provide the best compassionate service to those they love. If you believe that you or someone you love qualifies for hospice care, please contact us for more information.

No-Cost Care That Improves Quality of Life

The VA hospice benefit covers all care, medications, supplies and equipment needed related to your hospice diagnosis. Hospice care is also covered by Medicare, Medicaid and most private insurance. If you do not have one of these reimbursement resources, care is still available as Lower Cape Fear LifeCare never refuses anyone care based on their ability to pay.

Hospice care improves quality of life for patients and their families by providing

• Care in your home or wherever you call home – private residence, assisted living or skilled nursing facility
• Pain and symptom management by an interdisciplinary team: doctor, nurse, aide, social worker, chaplain, and volunteer(s)
• An individualized plan of care based on your goals and wishes
• Spiritual and emotional care
• LCFL Vet-to-Vet volunteer(s) to provide companionship as only a fellow service member can (when available)
• Support, education and grief care for family members
• Exclusive availability of inpatient hospice care centers if pain and symptoms cannot be managed at home
• Assistance with navigating veterans’ benefits

VA Missions Acts Provides for Care Closer to Home

Thanks to the VA Missions Act, veterans gained access to more community-based healthcare options. If a veteran must drive more than 30 minutes or more to a VA care provider or 60 minutes to get specialty care, they have the option to choose a provider closer to home.

Veterans who live in communities served by Lower Cape Fear LifeCare may have access to our care services. Contact us for more information.

Lower Cape Fear LifeCAre Meets the Special Needs of Veterans

Many veterans suffer chronic pain, presumptive disease, and traumatic injuries related to their service. A range of issues and concerns may also exist that may complicate end of life for veterans:

• PTSD (which may not surface until this point in life)
• Anxiety
• Traumatic grief
• Depression
• Survival guilt
• Troubling memories resurface
• Reluctance to seek help for pain of reject hospice care because they feel they need to be stoic and “fight on”
• Anger due to pain, injury, or illness caused by war
• Psychological issues of guilt, shame, or need for forgiveness and understanding due to having participated in war

The hospice interdisciplinary approach to care is well-suited to meet veterans’ specific needs. Veterans are identified at time of admission. Factors such as in which branch of service, war, rank achieved, and whether or not they saw combat, are information hospice care teams are keen on gaining as they can affect aspects of the patient’s care.

Clinical team members can develop an individualized plan of care to meet the veteran’s specific needs and wishes. Knowing any adverse conditions the veteran may have faced during their time in service (combat, capture, imprisonment, torture, etc.) makes them mindful as to how to best use medications and makes them aware of touch issues the patient may have due to things they experienced during their service.

Social workers can help veterans and families navigate VA benefits. They can also provide counseling for the veteran and his or her family as issues may arise concerning the patient’s time in service. 

Chaplains can assist in resolving issues of guilt, shame, anger, and unworthiness, thereby helping veteran patients find spiritual peace.

Highlights of Our Vet-to-Volunteer Program

Our Vet-to-Vet volunteer program seeks to partner veteran patients with veteran volunteers. Through the special bond that veterans share, patients feel more comfortable discussing topics with fellow service members who share similar experiences and can better understand them. This comradery can help relieve stress and anxiety for veteran patients.

Since many veterans never received the recognition for their service that they deserved, especially Vietnam War veterans, we seek to honor and respect them through veteran pinning ceremonies. These ceremonies acknowledge and show appreciation for having served our country. They mean a great deal to veterans and their family members.

This is Your LIfe Celebrations

Our This is Your Life celebrations allow veterans to tell their story. Something they may feel a need to do at this point of their life.

If there comes a point that pain and symptoms cannot be managed at home, our inpatient hospice care centers offer around the clock care and support. At the care centers, patient room doors are marked by a patriotic wreath or hanging to acknowledge veteran patients.

Our veterans answered the call to duty when we needed them. They deserve the best care, comfort and support we can provide them and their families when it matters most.

To learn more about our Vet-to-Vet program and how you can become a hospice veteran volunteer, call 800-733-1476.

At Lower Cape Fear LifeCare, we realize that “freedom isn’t free.” It’s only through the noble service and sacrifice of men and women in our military that we are able to have so many blessings. This deep, heart-felt gratitude is one reason that we provide extensive benefits geared toward veterans.

3 Ways Our Lower Cape Fear LifeCare Programs Benefit Veterans

1. A Dedicated Social Worker

We assist families as they navigate through the often-frustrating waters of VHA benefits and eligibility. We  dedicate an experienced, compassionate social worker as part of an interdisciplinary team to each veteran in order to help them understand the scope of what the VA will pay. As a nonprofit hospice, our Lower Cape Fear LifeCare Foundation works tirelessly to ensure that no one is denied services based upon their ability to pay.

2. Vet-to-Vet Volunteer Program

Those who have served our country have a special bond with each other. That’s why we have a Vet-to-Vet Volunteer program, where we pair a veteran in hospice care with a volunteer who has also served. We believe those who were in our military are able to offer deeper understanding in a way that non-military volunteers may not be able.

3. Community Outreach for Veterans

We also invest in our local veteran community by sponsoring and participating in events in addition to implementing outreach projects. Some of these include:

• The annual Veteran Stand Down
• “Honor Flight” documentary screenings
• Participation at Veterans Council meetings
• Sitting on the planning committee for the Purple Heart Dinner 

Your Service Is Appreciated: We Honor Veterans

One out of every four dying Americans is a veteran. 

As hospice professionals, we always strive to provide care to veterans that specifically addresses the challenges they may be facing.  As part of this organization, we have learned more about the unique needs that veterans have by becoming more familiar with the importance and subtleties of military culture.

As a Level Four Partner in the We Honor Veterans program, we understand that veterans have specific needs. We know that military service may leave some veterans with physical and emotional wounds, as well as specific issues for non-combat veterans. We’re committed to meeting our veterans’ needs and acknowledging and honoring their service to our country.

As a partner in We Honor Veterans, a program of the Department of Veterans Affairs and the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO), our agency is dedicated to meet this population’s unique needs.

Information on hospice eligibility and enrollment can be found on the Department of Veterans Affairs website.

Do You Have Additional Questions? Check Out These Additional Articles of Interest

We invite you to explore other articles on this website to gain a more comprehensive view of our role not only in helping veterans, but in helping those in our community who need us most. As always, we are always available to answer any additional questions you have.

Some useful articles include:

• Veterans Benefit Encourages Hospice Care to Meet Needs
• Your Guide to VA Hospice and Palliative Care Benefits
• Your Step by Step Guide to Making a Hospice Referral

Are You Looking for More Information on What Type of Care is Right For You?

You have served us. Now let us serve you.

We want to be sure you understand the wide range of services and programs available to veterans. We encourage you to contact us about VA hospice care so we can help you and honor your service to our country.