Veterans have access to hospice care through two separate paths: the VA hospice benefit and the Medicare hospice benefit, and a veteran does not have to choose blindly between them. Eligibility for either path requires a physician to certify a life expectancy of six months or less if the illness runs its usual course, along with a shift in care goals from curative treatment to comfort. 

Families can also ask any hospice provider whether they participate in We Honor Veterans, a national partnership that trains hospice staff on military culture and service-related needs. Below, we walk through how the benefits work, who qualifies, and what to expect when a veteran in your family is ready for hospice support.

VA Hospice Benefit vs. Medicare Hospice Benefit

Most veterans who need hospice care are eligible for it in two ways, and the choice belongs to the veteran and family, not to a single insurance rule.

• VA Hospice Benefit. Any veteran enrolled in VA health care qualifies for hospice as part of the VA Medical Benefits Package when a VA physician determines a life expectancy of six months or less, the treatment plan shifts toward comfort rather than a cure, and the veteran makes an informed decision to pursue that path. If the veteran elects the VA as the payer, the VA covers the hospice services directly, even if that veteran is also eligible for hospice under Medicare or Medicaid. Veterans keep the choice of which benefit pays for their care.
• Medicare Hospice Benefit. Veterans who are enrolled in Medicare can also elect the Medicare hospice benefit, which is the same benefit most Americans over 65 use. Medicare covers care related to the terminal diagnosis at no cost to the patient, including nursing visits, medications for symptom management, medical equipment, and support from social workers and chaplains.
• Using Both. Veterans who elect the Medicare hospice benefit are not required to give up their VA coverage entirely. Veterans can still receive VA services that fall outside the hospice plan of care, such as VA home-based primary care for conditions unrelated to the terminal illness. 

The only rule is that anything included in the hospice plan of care itself is billed through whichever benefit the veteran elected. Our team can help a family sort out which combination makes sense, and you can read more about who pays for hospice care in general.

Eligibility Requirements for Veterans

Eligibility for hospice, whether through the VA or Medicare, comes down to the same core standard: a physician certifies a serious, advanced illness with a limited life expectancy if it follows its usual course. This is not limited to a specific diagnosis. Veterans are referred to hospice with advanced heart or lung disease, cancer, neurological conditions such as ALS or Parkinson’s, dementia, and progressive kidney or liver disease, among others.

For veterans specifically, three things typically need to be true before VA-elected hospice begins:

• A VA physician determines a life expectancy of six months or less
• The goals of care shift from curative treatment to comfort and quality of life
• The veteran makes an informed decision to pursue hospice care

You do not need to figure out eligibility on your own. Our team reviews medical records, explains the guidelines in plain language, and coordinates directly with physicians when a family is trying to understand whether it’s time. You can see the full picture on our hospice eligibility page, and reaching out with a question never obligates a family to enroll.

What “We Honor Veterans” Means for Your Family

We Honor Veterans is a national program, developed in partnership between the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization and the Department of Veterans Affairs, that trains hospice teams to recognize the unique experiences of service members, including combat trauma, exposure-related illnesses, and the emotional weight of moments like pinning ceremonies or military honors at the end of life. Participating hospices earn recognition levels based on the depth of their veteran-specific training and outreach.

If knowing your hospice team understands military culture matters to your family, it’s a fair and reasonable question to ask any provider you’re considering, including us. Grace and Glory Hospice’s care team is committed to recognizing military service as part of every veteran’s care plan, and we’re glad to talk through what that looks like for your family specifically.

The Levels of Hospice Care a Veteran May Need

Hospice care is not a fixed service. Medicare and the VA both recognize four levels of hospice care, and a veteran’s needs can move between them depending on what’s happening medically:

• Routine home care, the most common level, for day-to-day comfort management wherever the veteran lives
• Continuous home care for short-term periods of medical crisis that need more frequent nursing support
• General inpatient care for symptoms that can’t be controlled at home and need a higher level of monitoring
• Respite care, which gives family caregivers a short break while the veteran is cared for in an inpatient setting

You can read more details on our four levels of hospice care page. Knowing these options exist tends to ease a lot of the worry families carry about “what happens if things get worse.”

What to Expect from Grace and Glory Hospice

Grace and Glory Hospice was founded by a hospice nurse with two decades of experience, and that background shapes how we work with veteran families. Care typically includes:

• Comfort-focused nursing care from a team that understands service-related conditions
• Personal care support for daily needs
• Emotional and spiritual support, including recognition of military service in the way that matters to the veteran and family
• Help understanding VA and Medicare benefits, so families aren’t guessing
• Ongoing support for the family, both during care and afterward

You can review our full care services and family support offerings, or see what the first days of care typically look like on our what to expect page.

Getting Started

Starting hospice for a veteran usually comes down to three steps:

1. Talk with the veteran’s physician or us about symptoms, prognosis, and whether comfort-focused care fits current goals.
2. Decide which benefit fits best, VA, Medicare, or a combination, with our team helping you understand the options.
3. Begin care, typically within a day or two of the decision, with a plan built around the veteran’s specific needs and wishes.

If you’d like a walkthrough of what that looks like in practice, our starting hospice care page covers the process step by step. We proudly serve families across Alameda, Contra Costa, San Joaquin, San Mateo, and Sacramento counties, and this is far from the only area we’re able to reach.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Does the VA pay for hospice care? Yes. Any veteran enrolled in VA health care qualifies for hospice through the VA Medical Benefits Package once a VA physician certifies a life expectancy of six months or less and the veteran chooses comfort-focused care.
• Can a veteran use both VA and Medicare benefits during hospice? A veteran elects one benefit to pay for the hospice plan of care itself, but federal guidance confirms veterans can still use VA services outside that plan of care, such as home-based primary care for unrelated conditions.
• Do veterans have to give up curative treatment to enter hospice? Yes, entering hospice under either the VA or Medicare benefit means shifting the goal of care from curing the illness to managing comfort and quality of life. This decision belongs to the veteran and can be revisited if their wishes change.
• How do I know if a hospice provider understands military culture? Ask directly. You can ask whether the provider participates in the We Honor Veterans program and ask what specific training their staff has around service-related conditions and end-of-life military honors.
• What if I’m not sure it’s time yet? Reaching out with questions does not commit your family to anything. Our team can review the situation, explain what hospice would and wouldn’t change, and let you decide from there.

We’re Here to Help

If you’re caring for a veteran and trying to figure out the right next step, you don’t have to work through the VA and Medicare rules on your own. Schedule a care consult with Grace and Glory Hospice or call us at (650) 898-5784, available 24/7, and we’ll walk through eligibility, benefits, and what care could look like for your family, honestly and without pressure.